All The Right Moves
by Flamekaat
Summary: When a certain CON crashes into an old Orchard he gets help from an unexpected and sometimes unwilling partner. What sort of ripples will this bring into being? Botnatomy and what they do with it inspired by Musashi/Antepathy&GabrielC's works Thanks U2!
1. Chapter 1

{A/N This is post ROTF timeline wise, and I am stealing something from the original cartoon series in putting the decepticon vessel nemesis under the ocean cause I can! Might have to figure out what brought it there from out in the outer planets or wherever they had parked it. If anyone knows exactly where it is supposed to be in the movie or just recalls tell me! Warnings: Xeno eventually and since almost all the bots seem MALE their might be m/m and some Trine M/M/M and some Trine on Xeno which I suppose would be M/M/F/M Right now its Jet/Xeno(human) interaction. Also please note this is a Beta what Beta? fic, as in I don't even have a working spell checker so yeah...working on reinstalling word to fix that in my microseconds of free time in between writing, Grandma, and Server 70 Alliance Blades on evony.(OMG FOUND that they GIVES US ONE *HUGS WEBPAGE*) This chapter will be Xeno sided. Next Chapter is Decepticon POV. Last thing to say then comes the fic...I have never written for this fandom before EVER though I have obsessively been reading it here and at AFF(dot)NET. Good Stuff BDQ AND MUSASHI and all the peeps I reviewed over there and here! So please forgive my ineptitude in writing the most reviled and beloved of CON's and send me hugs cause I am unemployed and need a job!}

(Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing other then the computer and accessories that were used to write this and any handy OC's and plot devices used to move this beast forward...TY Hasboro! I promise to wash them and put them back in the toy box when I am done! }

{Adjustment as of 02/03/10--Technique Disclaimer: /start credits...Musashi/Antepathy and that person's partner in crime GabrielC invented the botatomy(bot+anatomy) and it's sexual usages as I use it in this story. Having seen it around I did not know it was not simply common usage until late last night when I was able to get back to my computer. My apologies to those two. also thusly this is updated and will be placed on all chapters! /end credits}

{also I apologies to any of the five people who might get all excited cause I posted these changes and not my chapter which should be up by friday at the latest in all its sucking glory cause my joy kinda went out of me}

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The impact startled her out of sleep and sent her staggering out of bed, pants half pulled on and gun in her hand. She lived alone and to far out from civilized city limits to feel safe without the rifle or at least one of her pistols in her hand. So she dived out the door and into her old flatbed and spun the wheel as the engine kicked over. It had been out in the old decrepit orchard, but if whatever had caused the impact was able to start fires then the good orchards nearby could be severely damaged.

Peach blossoms scattered all over the place. Three or four rows of trees left standing on each side of the orchard, the reast plowed up and in flames from the impact. It was a jet crash. Concern for the pilot filled her and she forgot all about the volitility of jet fuel as she rushed forward to be of assitance if the man in question was even alive…

Not a concern. Markings on the jet showed the same symbols she had seen in Mission City and from the battle in the pyramid area of Quattar. The Jets were the bad guys as she recalled from whom her fellow humans had sided with in both battles.

This one would not have need of nore would waste weight and thus fuel expenditures on a pilot. If he had crashed this far from civilization then her next concern was how much damage the others hunting this one would cause to her mother's farm if it was found here and battle insued. Something in her sense of over all world right ness tilted and she knew this one could not be found in this state or the world would further tilt off balance.

The tow cable allowed her to get about eightysix percent of the jet towed onto the flat bed or at least off the ground. She ran back and with a wheelbarrow began gathering any stray bits of robot fancy jet she could find. Not a single spark plug was left behind. She would come out and plow down the whole orchard as soon as she got this beastly hunk of metal into her barn and came back with the metal detector to get any stray parts out of her range of sight.

"Covering up this event will not keep you safe human. My kind will come to liberate me and…"

"Idiot. I neither wish your imprisonment nor your death. I am going to help you and thus keep world wide destruction from further harming my ancestral land. Get over yourself and realize that despite the jet you imitate you have little value to a farmer like me!"

" Farmer…what is…ah a grower of the human sustenance that your kind uses instead of energon. Tell me farmer human, why would helping me aide you in keeping the destruction my kind brings out of this corner of your little blue planet?"

"You are repaired, you go away before your enemies or your friends find you. No one else comes here and the lands left to me by mother are kept safe. However that is not the point really, just my useless wish."

"Why is that not the main point? What logic makes it useless to attempt your main goal?"

"I have always had a sense of impending doom that warns me when I need to do something to set off those little action and reaction ripples that will eventually effect something in a positive or desirable fashion. It went off the chart when I found you in my orchard and tried to contemplate just extinguishing the flames and leaving you there. Now let me drive so I can get you under cover. With the trips it will take to the hardware place to get parts this is goingo be a long fix and I want you out of sight for it!"

She parked carefully in the barn and drew the door closed again. The big drapes that separated her work areas whens he had several farm implements under repair got hung and draped all around the flat bed that still contained the mechanical being. Tools, an arc welder and welding suit, a helmet with face pate that was blackened to protect her from the bright blinding sparks that could give a human being sand in the eyes at a glance or two. All these she laid out then she started looking over her new patient.

Patient not repair job. It was obvious that anything that could hold a conversation and accept automatically that she meant no threat was a sentient person regardless of what his God had made him or his ancestors of in the first place. She was afraid however of all the things she could tell about this scary person. Guns had never bothered her. She had learned to respect them and their ability to cause havoc or cure it depending on the situation. However she had never seen a chain gun up close. It was beautiful to her engineer's mind. But she kept her hands clear of it after making sure that it and the feed belts had not been damaged.

"Do you have to manually reload or is their a system for that that generates ammo?"

"Manual reloading is sometimes required farmer human. However that is only in the absence of advanced self generating munitions systems. I have several redundacies in these systems and all are functional at the present time."

"that was what I was checking on. You know you better then I know you specs wise jet robot, so tell me what is broken and needs seeing to first. I don't want vital systems to fail while I am tinkering with something unrelated to your survival."

"My 'crash,' as you would most likely refer to my relatively uncontrolled landing, damaged my fuel lines, and ruptured some coolant lines as well as bending my chases all out of shape which has resulted in an undesirable blockage of my air intakes near my engines."

"Fuel line, coolant lines, unbending metal near air intakes of the engine. Would that be the preferred order for my fixit's of your person?"

"With those and some minor repairs else-wise I can leave your company before the Auto bots find me and the fight you find so undesirable becomes inevitable."

"Inevitable before you pitched and yawed over my orchard this morning Jet Robot. But I can still fight as hard as I can against fate. Let's give the fuel line a try here."

"Pardon the interruption but is the garment you are wearing not suited for anything other then your recharge period?"

"Yeah it's a nightgown. Get over it. Your little uncontrolled landing called me out of bed before even a farm bred kid gets up in the morning time around here."

"I apologize for my interruption of your routine recharge."

"My guess is that would not be entirely your fault and that you will be a gentleman bot about it and take a few chunks out of the other responsible parties at the next opportunity on my behalf?"

The laughter clinched it. Definitely a sentient being, and one with a sense of humor.

~*~

Her senses flared, and she avoided dropping the tools she was using to clamp off hoses that carried fuel and coolant. She would need to make that trip to the hardware place and maybe even the car place. What parts she had on hand were for tractors and not going to be up to specs for a antiquated crop duster, let alone a robot who could take the shape of an advanced fighter craft of absolute aeronautic perfection that was the F-22 raptor. Hoses mostly. The damage was worse then he had implied. The hoses would need to be entirely replaced.

When she requested specs as to how the hoses bent when he transformed and what amount of pressure they would be required to handle he responded swiftly. Listing the things on her notepad she tore off the sheet and prepared to go back into the house to prepared for going out in public.

"I require a status update prior to your departure Farmer-Human."

"Your fuel and coolant lines are shredded goop, the bent metal I can fix but I need parts for affixing the tubing and tubes that can handle the liquid pressures required. I have to go into the main population center in this area, which we call a town, to acquire these things since I don't have the ability or the materials to make my own."

"I will be here when you return, but most likely in a state of forced recharge. I can begin some self repair on the minor systems during your absence. I will require more fuel to replace the fuel that I lost. My systems can filter out the impurities and make the substances I burn to generate lift and speed. However I will require twenty gallons of the fuel suitable for a high grade automobile to do so. Fortunately the systems deactivated before I lost very much of my fuel, as my full capacity would require far more then your limited funds of this nation's currency would enable you to spend."

"Do I seem broke to you? A jet your size can carry quite a lot of fuel but I would probably be able to at least get your tanks to half without bankrupting the emergency fund I have saved up. Just because I don't waste time on appearances around here does not mean I am under funded or poor. Not any more at any rate and I… "

"Offense was not meant. Please proceed to prepare yourself and make the journey into this 'town' for parts and fuel that I require."

The red optical sensor that had been glaring at her out of the transformed jet was suddenly a lot dimmer. The forced recharge she supposed. After getting into the house and out of her worst set of work boots, She jumped in the shower and washed off the sweat of fear that had coated her along with grit and oil and other mechanical fluids.

Her sense of what needed doing had never led her down the wrong path, but it never took into consideration her health or well being, just that it was needful she do these things for whatever force decided the greater good of fate in this world (and others apparently if it had brought these aliens to her world.) Yet she had been terrified that her death by this being's hands had been her fate, needed to make the ripple that would draw in the desired effect.

Upon his transformation out of his jet form she had noted the deadliness had not been muted, only magnified. Sharp barbs adorned his hands and she could tell that in his natural state his weaponry would fire from where he pointed his upper limbs. His eyes were not the benign blue of the one whom had struggled against the others in Qatar, but a hellish red that glowed with anything but benign intent.

Wickedness was needed to balance niceness. Her mother had been driven as she was and had taught her that first of all. Wickedness and Niceness could be one inside a single being as well. Honor this one had. He also had strength, and an amount of courage yet to be determined, for she had no concept of how long this war had been fought, or how many times her current guest had faced death or whatever passed for it among machine people.

Finally clean and smelling sweetly she was in her room in a towel and decided on the lower cut jeans and a tight top of an ordinary plaid with eyelet lace trim to make the country boy style look feminine. She looked good enough to be seen in public. Soft socks and some better maintained footwear and she was out the door and intot he cab of her town capable and licensed and insured truck. This was going to be horrid but she managed. She was almost painfully shy when not around her fellow intellectual persons like she had been at university. Spatial relations, tensile strength, ability to absorb impact and how to form an aerodynamic shape had been the language she had learned, not the tongue of babies and animal offspring, of socializing and farm community culture.

Harold understood her best of all the people yet alive on the face of the world. He ran the hardware store and farm supply on the northernmost street in the town. He was a loner by choice as well as aptitude just as she had been and he had taken her under his wing as a twelve year old to show her the wonders held by machine guts. He gave her what she asked for and didn't ask any questions on what her latest project might be or when she might be done with it. None of his business after all unless she decided to let him know 'what in the hell' she was up to now.

That was more of a nature of Harold's brother Sheriff Martin Donaldson's patented snark, then anything Harold would ask of her. Her sense tingled then was silent once more. Warning level low but persistent. If she did not keep her head down the authority for their little town would be a problem. Acknowledgement of her sense's warnings allowed the tingle to fade away to nothing. Once she had taken it seriously this sense faded as the circumstances allowed. If she had not it would have continued to grow until it was punishing her with pain as well as trying to guide her instinctual level perception of it's informative and insistent nature.

She carried the two new gas cans to the back of the 'off the farm' truck, then stowed all the cables wires, and tubing she had bought in the back behind the tattered bench seat. The gas station would be her last stop. There she could get something to eat she did not have to cook for herself, a healthy dose of high octane caffeine for her sluggish mind and High Octane Gasoline for the Robot that was sometimes a jet.

Those things were purchased and set in the appropriate compartments when she got a twinge in her sense and went back in for oil and antifreeze as well as a few extra funnels and some de-greasing agent she had seen on the shelf in the back. The old lady who manned the counter shrugged and rang her up without a further gesture of her bemused state.

"Sometimes honey it seems like your shopping for someone else and they are always uploading something else to the list halfway through your trip."

"Closer then you would guess Pearl."

"Don't want to know or guess either."

"Never thought that for a minute."

Pearl was not understanding towards her nor was she hateful or harsh as some of the other citizens were. Pearl did not give her the sudden urge to run sometimes that other persons did. She also did not get the urge to break out in hives around Pearl just from nerves. That made Pearla rare ' good enough for me' person. She waved farewell to Pearl, a thing she never spared the time for with other people, and departed the station with all her new goodies in tow.

The Robot sometimes Jet and sometimes an alien, was as of yet in his low power state. She began working on him without heistation, thinking that maybe this sort of thing would be hugely painful to the being in her barn. Better fast like ripping off a bandaid stuck in your arm or leg hair then slow like diggin purposefully int oc ause pain. She was finished with the coolant line when she looked up and into alert Optical sensors.

"That was efficient for a human. However I recommend auditory sensor protection for the following proceedure as I will be inable to contain any expresions of discomfort during the replacement of my ruptured fuel line."

"In other words it will be more painful then you can stand without screaming out in horrendous pain?"

"That is precisely what I just said."

"Sorry I have been desperately trying to learn to speak people as well as I speak machine, metal, and chemistry, but sometimes I think I am failing at that too."

"Sometimes Farmer-Human the effort to associate with one's fellow beings is not worth the cost or the risk. But only sometimes."

She cold not even begin to contemplate what the huge machine person was trying to convey under his words. It was amazing to her that he offered enough of a semi recognisable facial expresion for her to begin to try and figure it out, or to tell her he was saying more with his words then their regular meanings conveyed. For the first time in a long time she cursed her fate sense for dragging her into something. This was definitely 'something' for which she was ill equipped at her best, and she had not been at her best for a long time now.

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{A.P.S.: Music for inspiring:

All The Right Moves by One Republic

Gotta be Somebody By Nickleback

Suicide on My Mind by Angtoria

Short Flight to Mexico By Winger

Next Contestant By Nickleback

Raise Up By Saliva

Headstrong By Trapt

R.. By KMFDM

Please Read and Review for author boosting purposes if nothing else. Hopefully tomorrow will Bring fresh chapter of my small fic over in the AVP box. Wish me luck and feed my muse chocolate and Dr. Pepper!}


	2. Chapter 2

{A/N a shorty to keep you going here,and because I am sleepy and about to go splat. REVIEW!, or I sick Starscream on all of you!

SS: *Glowers at all the readers who are not reviewing*}

{Adjustment as of 02/03/10--Technique Disclaimer: /start credits...Musashi/Antepathy and that person's partner in crime GabrielC invented the botatomy(bot+anatomy) and it's sexual usages as I use it in this story. Having seen it around I did not know it was not simply common usage until late last night when I was able to get back to my computer. My apologies to those two. also thusly this is updated and will be placed on all chapters! /end credits}

{also I apologies to any of the five people who might get all excited cause I posted these changes and not my chapter which should be up by friday at the latest in all its sucking glory cause my joy kinda went out of me}

* * *

He had not been understating his likely level of discomfort to the Farmer-Human in the slightest of measures. She had taken him just as seriously and had placed some heavy coverings meant for use when operating fire arms on her small audio receptors before proceeding to remove and begin replacing his fuel line.

He screamed. She had been correct in her rephrasing. There was no possible method available to this human that would allow him to be repaired of such severe damage without an equal amount of pain. That she was able to repair him at all amazed him. Common consensus on the human's backwards interlink system was that farmers, though durable and very hardy creatures, were not the brightest of the human population. Obviously this consensus was another of the so called 'stereotypes.'

The human had replaced his fuel line and placed the two cans of human automobile fuel in front of him.

"You intake that before I do the banging out of that dented bit. I suspect that while I am at that you will hate me even more then you did just now."

"**I feel no malice towards you Farmer-Human. I did not prior to your beginning to effect repairs, and after you have so efficiently completed two of the three required tasks I am not any more inclined to feel that way then I was previously.**"

"You say that now but if I were you I would be expecting this to hurt hugely, though it will be quicker fixed then the fuel line."

"**I have been damaged in such a way and far worse then this previously. While it is discomforting, sometimes extremely so, it is something I can bear for the Decepticon cause.**"

"Can and should are often different things. Wars often outlast the reason for which they were began by a lengthy span Jet Bot. Has yours outlasted its original purpose? Or do you not even know why you fight but simply obey orders and feel that you must do battle for no other reason then that you are told to do so?"

Yes the human was obviously much more wise and talented then the stereotypical Farmer-Human would be.

"**I believe that our war will see its end before your lifetime passes Farmer-Human. That and Yes it has passed beyond the span of such things by a far greater length then it should have been allowed to continue. I grow weary of the violence and many others among my compatriots feel the same. So too must it be among the Autobots, for they were those who were softer, and you would say 'kinder' among the people of Cybertron.**"

"You are not prone to kindness then are you Jet Bot?"

"**We're I so I would have been offlined permanently by my fellow Decepticons many cycles ago. They would see such behavior as a sign of weakness. Weakness among the ranks is not tolerated.**"

"Then they are not the brightest crayons in the box are they?"

"**What you would see as needless cruelty is actually necessary in such a long war. We have been in battle for thousands upon thousands of your years. The harsher the combatant the longer he survives and thus serves the cause.**"

"Then you must be fairly harsh a combatant to have made it this far and that long."

He preened at what he felt was praise before replying.

"**It also helps that I am flight capable and faster then even those others so capable.**"

"What did you look like before you took the Raptor shape? I would guess that you were not so on your home world though you might have been similar."

"**Similar somewhat, but not very much, no.**"

He projected an image of himself and the other members of his Trine, flying in formation, that had been recorded by another mech right after they had finished the Seeker Training School. It was his favorite of the many such images he had gathered before the war. Though those who did not know him thought he favored them for the sake of his own ego, he cared the most for them in reality because they showed his Trine Mates to such advantage.

"**The central figure is myself in my alternate shape.**"

"Pretty. Your friends are too."

"**It will amuse my Trine Mates that a human finds their shapes pleasing. I will not fail to inform them of this upon reuniting with them.**"

"If it gives them a laugh you go right ahead and tell them I said so Jet Bot. I don't mind being amusing now and again."

"**I do believe you were attempting to 'sneak one past me' by holding a conversation with me during my repair. Though I appriciate the effort I must inform you that your distraction technique has failed.**"

"Caught me, you did. Ah well I had to try. Kindness has its value as does cruelty after all."

"**I look forward to the day when that is so for all not just for you humans.**"

"Since I am a child of fate my lifetime is much shorter then an ordinary human's if we are going by the actual amount of time left to me then your war will be over in a decade, maybe two."

"**You are barely over two decades in age! Are you defective that your lifespan would be that much shorter then your fellow humans?**"

"Yes and no. Genetically, and physically I am as healthy as could be. More so since I live out here in the cleaner air and environment of the countryside rather then in the polluted city areas. However my fate will throw me into disaster many many times over the coming years to manipulate what occurs to fate's liking. The three cruel ladies use their tools until they break, and we do not get the courtesy of good regular maintenance or even care in the using."

"**Perhaps it is not so bad then. This sounds preventable. Simply ignore those commands which would result in your death.**"

"I am not going to know when such a thing would be Jet Bot. It is as my mother said. All warnings we receive are to further the agenda of fate, not to aid in our own progress through the weave."

"**Yet you possess some of what is referred to as 'Common Sense' do you not? Would such a sense not inform you of that which is dangerous and thus allow you to avoid it?**"

"Hardly. I would still have to do so regardless of what common sense dictates Jet Bot. I would be forced into it if that is what fate demands of me. I did mention that to ignore the will of fate in my fate sense's dictates means I am subjected to increasing levels of pain until I comply, did I not?"

"**No you did not include such a detail in your explanation of this odd compulsion of yours Farmer-Human.**"

"Compulsion. There is a good descriptor of the situation. However that is how it is. Now imagine the discomfort of one bullet hitting you. Then imagine it slowly increasing the levels of discomfort right up to the fuel line procedure we just completed. It escalates right along those lines. From a pinprick to sword thrust to the gut in pretty rapid succession. "

"**It is very difficult to manage then?**"

"You don't manage it, you obey, and all the while you pray that you are not asked to do anything too horrible. My mother…She had to kill someone in cold blood. She never forgave herself despite the fact that she was practically blind with pain by the time that the doing of the deed was forced out of her."

"**What event did this precursor lead to then or did she never know?**"

"She knew after the fact. The victim she was chosen to assassinate was intending on taking a large amount of explosives into a federal government building that was right next door to a children's hospital in the state capital city. The children and everyone in both buildings and the office building on the other side of the federal building would have died in the blast or when the buildings fell in upon themselves."

"**Was she punished or even caught out having done this thing?**"

"No, and father would not let her turn herself in."

"**The needful thing was done, though grievous, and your family was not shattered in the doing. I would say that you should listen to this 'fate sense' and not risk that amount of pain. Who would be worth it?**"

"I think you would be worth it for one Jet Bot. If my fate sense demanded I kill you I would refuse it and throw myself in traffic rather then let it continue to coerce me to doing such an unacceptable deed."

"**I am certainly not worth anyone else's pain…**"

"Kinder then you would like others to know then aren't you?"

The Farmer-Human was amused, so much so that if she did not have a healthy respect for his capabilities she would be laughing at him. The smirk was enough to inform him it was so. He thought for a moment and realized she had talked him around to where he admitted to her he had no desire to see her or her kind suffer if they did not make it necessary.

He swore vehemently in Cybertronian, and she finally did break out into open hilarity at this development. The sound was very agreeable to him. It was light, clear and pleasant. He astonished himself when he found that he _**liked**_ it! He hoped that he would soon be finished with this Farmer-Human. Something was off with his logic circuits and he needed a more skilled medic then a half trained human to repair anything that might be wrong with such delicate systems.

{Author's Song List:

Red-CombiChrist

Slanias Song-Eluviete

I Know You Want me-Pitt Bull

Gotta be Somebody-Nickleback

Gypsy-Shakira

Get Your Body Beat(album Version)-CombiChrist

3AM-Matchbox 20

Fragile-Cloudscape

Rubicon-KMFDM

Your Love Is A Song-Switchfoot

Slow Poison-The Bravery

Why Wait-Shakira

Cloak and Daggers-Cloudscape

Subtronic-De/Vision

Push-Matchbox 20

Foxy Foxy-Rob Zombie

Scorch the Ground(version)-Seabound

Thanks and remember to Review pls!}


	3. Chapter 3

{A/N: Hey there readers.....86 hits in just January alone ^_^ That part is awesome! The part that makes me wanna tell people to kick rocks? Why that would be the part where there are 86 people who stopped by and 3 persons who left reviews! Shocking I know!  
Thanks and Cookies of your choice go to **FullfysBijin05,** **Raven Wolf1** & **LostNeo**, aka my three muskateer's of reviewing! I loves you guys bunches! }

{Adjustment as of 02/03/10--Technique Disclaimer: /start credits...Musashi/Antepathy and that person's partner in crime GabrielC invented the botatomy(bot+anatomy) and it's sexual usages as I use it in this story. Having seen it around I did not know it was not simply common usage until late last night when I was able to get back to my computer. My apologies to those two. also thusly this is updated and will be placed on all chapters! /end credits}

{also I apologies to any of the five people who might get all excited cause I posted these changes and not my chapter which should be up by friday at the latest in all its sucking glory cause my joy kinda went out of me}

* * *

The sound of a loud explosion woke her. The whole house was shaking. She had finished repairing the Jet Bot about nine in the evening and decided that supper and an early bedtime was in order. Now it was once again barely daylight. The sun had not yet cracked the sky but the pink of the coming dawn was corrupted by plumes of smoke and the smell of ruined machinery.

They had hit the barn. The two tractors, one always in a state of disrepair, and the other one she had bought from a distant neighbor, were both puddles of molten metal and shattered machine bits by now. The roar of a jet engine screeched by. Jet Bot had made it out of the barn.

Relief flooded her for a second before the despair of the certain doom of her home farm settled back into her world view. There was more then one Jet engine roaring by now. Jet Bot had Jet Bot friends that she recalled form the hologram he'd shown her and apparently they had arrived to help him fight. The Coppery form of Jet Bot in the shape of his Jet self was magnificent. A black Jet and funky Purple Jet roared by as well. Who ever it was who was shooting at them was on the ground.

Fate sense swirling with insistence she put on some clothes and threw some non perishable foods into a sack in the tow truck which she had been lucky to have moved out of the barn to let the Jet Bot have space for his 'recharge.' The last thing she grabbed out of the hallway mud room was a Hefty helmet with a grill like a football player's. It had been her cousin Marty's High school helmet. He'd given it to her before heading off to a war zone that he had not returned from. He'd been the last one of her generation alive besides her, and she was not going to lose this memento of his short but meaningful life.

Her eyes narrowed when she finally saw the robot who was shooting at the Jet Bots. Best Guess he would be a flat bed pickup himself when in his other shape. She recognized what the feeling was in her now. The same feeling that had led Marty to go to war against the terrorists, the same feeling of outrage coated with a thinly veiled layer of despair that this was how it was.

Her aim was not the best in the world when it came to guns or hunting with bows like she sometimes did, but she had practiced that until repeats had made lack of skill not an issue. However a poor aim was not an issue now anyway. After all if you could not drive straight into a robot the height of a multi story building you had other problems.

The impact sent the robot over the edge of a ditch and crashing to the ground. Grabbing up the bag of non perishables, she sprinted away from the wrecked tow truck and back to wards her house. That robot would not hesitate to fire on her, or so her fate sense warned. She had to be clear of him before he reoriented on her or she was quite dead.

Suddenly her hair was whipped into her eyes as the funky purple Jet Bot hovered in front of her.

"**IN THE COCKPIT NOW HUMAN!**"

This was not the time to argue that she was not a pilot or a flyer of any kind. She leaped up, and after scrambling across the wing, she managed to get herself in the cockpit of the Jet Bot. They launched out and up and away before she even fastened the safety restraints.

/Human recovered in functional condition Trine member. What I want to know is what purpose this human serves now that you have access to our repair bots and Medic Hook?/

/I wish to reward the xeno for her service to me. Allowing the autobots to eliminate her would be no reward at all. Let it go Skywarp./

/It is just one of his odd quarks warp. Best let be while you can./

/Does the human have any concept of what she is getting into?/

/More then the usual human would yes. However I doubt that she really knows things, it seems that it is more the nature of an instinct./

/I only hope for her sake it is enough, poor little squishy./

She had a feeling from the way that certain lights in the cockpit lit up that the Jet bot she was in was communing with the other Jet Bots on a personal frequency. She sighed and leaned back in the seat. There was nothing for it now but to go to wherever the Jet Bot's home base was, and make the best of it. She was glad that her trees would make due with mostly water from rain and not need tending to for a good long while. After all who knew when she would be able to return to the farm?

"**Farmer-Human can you hear me clearly?**"

"I am receiving you well enough Jet Bot."

"**What is your preference for dietary intake? I will see to it that you are provided for while in our custody, but if I have your preferences on file I can make this somewhat less onerous an Ordeal then it might be otherwise.**"

She rattled off her preferences food and drink wise and her actual needs food and water wise, before adding that personal maintenance required a few other items beyond what had just been mentioned. The Jet Bot Acknowledged this, and while they were discussing the variances of different soap types and body washes, she realized that this Jet that was sometimes an alien Robot was going to be her keeper for the foreseeable future. That such a situation had developed without any of the normal courtesy type things that happened between people who decided to live together made her sigh.

"**We have not exchanged the customary pleasantries or even designations. I am Rank: Air Commander, Personal Designation: Starscream. It has not been under pleasant circumstances but I believe that the expression "I am pleased to meet you," applies in any case. **"

"Humans usually have two or more names for personal designation as well as rankings if any or acknowledged social standings. My personal name is Kalomel, and I am amicable to the idea of answering to the reduced version of 'Mel' if time is short enough to require it. I also have the family name of Nichols. Despite the wicked and ugly set of circumstances I am also glad to meet you. Now that we have exchanged the customary introductions you can present the persons of your companion Bots to me as well Starscream."

"**You are presently within the chassis of Skywarp. Our other companion goes by the designation of Thundercracker. They are my Trine members. Among humans this would make us 'common law' spouses, the three of us together.**"

"**There is nothing **_**Common**_** about us though.**" Skywarp added, with a more blatant sense of humor to his tone. She found it to be less stern then the voice of Starscream, but somehow not as moving emotionally. This of course was ready permission for the third member of their _Trine_ to chime in with his two cents worth of conversation over the radio frequency they were presently sharing.

"**Warp is correct of course. We are much the rarer and finer then the silly ground pounding bots you may have seen in the battle footage of Mission city and Qatar. We are Seekers!** "

Kalomel grinned at the echoing resonance of pride and ferocious joy that were both in the phrase used by the black jet. When she made the mistake of merrily asking her new companions to explain to her what a seeker was exactly, she got a along long story from Skywarp instead of just a terse explanation.

"**No all are flight capable among those who came from the all spark. Those who are, are not always fit to be Seekers. Some are capable of navigation only when within the gravitational and magnetic fields of a planet. These are fliers but not Seekers. Those who wish to be a Seeker must pass many competency exams and mental fitness tests before the very last of the tests comes to pass.**"

"**Warp she does not need to hear the unpleasant truth about our final testing. I doubt she would appreciate the necessity and it might well harm her emotional sensitivities to be so informed.**"

"Thank you for your concern Thundercracker. However I am built of much sterner stuff then appearances might indicate at first meeting me. I will hear this and not judge since your culture is not mine, and your species is not mine, and thus I have to accept that some things will be way beyond my ability to understand. I have to accept them as what is, not try to somehow change them just because they might hurt my 'feel bads' as my cousin used to put it. I'll just file the information away under unpleasant facts of existence and let it go."

"**When the testing time arrives, the would be Seeker is taken far from Cybertron and all familiar areas of space to which they have been before. Once they are sent to the farthest corner of space reachable in a planetary revolution of time they are knocked unconscious and left to return without escort or watcher to their home hangar on Cybertron.**"

"The unpleasant portion is that not all make it back then?"

"_**Indeed.**_"

"They were brave enough and hopeful enough to try Skywarp. That alone makes them worth while people in my book."

The silence was suddenly heavy and oppressive. Kalomel thought that perhaps she had said something really bad somehow. It would not be until much later that she understood that it was the exact opposite.

~*~

It had been several hours before they began the final approach to their destination and she knew that she was going just about the speed of sound. That was a long trip. Her insides were reminding her that despite the depressing turn of her thoughts they kept on working anyway. Still she was lacking in enthusiasm about food and doubted that a machine oriented base camp would even have facilities for the disposal of her 'biological waste materials.'

Being a farmer who took care of most of her own fix its and repairs of both her household and her equipment meant that she was capable of making rudimentary things of that nature for herself. She hoped that she would somehow be able to access the internet and look up a few techniques and things. Otherwise Kalomel was going to have to be taken out for walks like a dog. It would not surprise her if all the jets now looked at her as Starscream's pet, but that was a touch more embarrassing then she cared to deal with at the moment.

"**I do not know what will happen when I inform Megatron of your residency with us and its unknown duration. However I suggest that you be hidden in the tiniest of spaces in the furthest corner of our vessel from us at the time of that conversation.**"

"He is likely to not favor me then?"

"**For the first few months of your residency until you prove you are more useful the annoying he will most likely only be convinced to not obliterate you because of courtesy to myself and my Trine mates.**"

"Do I need a collar and chain or is it sufficient that I kneel each time you pass Starscream? I have never been 'owned' so I don't exactly know how the procedures go."

The laughter was back again as the jets plummeted down into the water with a large splash. Kalomel Sighed. It was funny, but was it funny because it was true or funny because it was way far off base?

"**We are Seekers Kalomel-Human. None of us own much more then ourselves and any barrels of oil or fuel we win in betting with the ground pounder bots. To own a sentient being is an idea that I for one find abhorrent in the extreme. Starscream is a bit 'cracked' though. He might find it amusing for a little while but not terribly long. **"

"**You will pay for that little remark later Thundercracker.**"

"**Looking forward to it Copper Bit.**"

"**Lick my after burners you sorry excuse for a singularity humper!**"

"Kids, for goodness sakes, do not make me turn this carnival ride around!"

More laughter as giant metal doors opened and they passed through a force field into the dry hangar from whence they had come. The doors closed behind them and Kalomel braced herself. Though it had been making happy good job mumbles at her since she got into the Jet at her burning farm, She cringed at the resurfacing thoughts of her ruined home, the sense of fate had otherwise remained silent. Now it was giving her hints of trouble to come and none of them looked like they were going to be broken nails or stubbed toes.

She had been in the base for three days before she saw anyone other then the jet bots. They had brought her treats, supplies, and tools meant for human use so that she could carve out a little area for herself to keep to herself near the rear area of the huge ship that had brought them to earth. The bot she encountered was shorter then she was by more then a foot and had multiple blue optics. Not knowing what else to do she politely introduced herself and waited.

The little bot ran off with a startled squeak. Kalomel decided it was best if she went the opposite direction in a hurry and found a Jet to hide behind. This brought about her second encounter with a totally unfamiliar bot in as many hours. Sitting in Skywarp's palm and being told some sort of Seeker story that she was listening to avidly had caused her to forget mostly that she had encountered the little bot.

"**SKYWARP! WHAT IS THAT XENO DOING IN OUR BASE!?!?!**"

"**Calm yourself Barricade, Starscream's will on the matter has been made clear. I also welcome this one as she repaired my Trine member after Ironhide nearly offlined him. Also this task was performed without sensor blockers, which means her life was in danger the whole time! Had Starscream lost control he would have slagged her! Anyone who risks their life, unaware or otherwise for my Trine is welcome…"**

"… **and doubly so!**"

Thundercracker had come to his Trine mate's sub-vocal summons. He stood between his loudly painted Trine mate and the other mech while glaring with a vicious look in his optics. Kalomel shuddered when she saw the reflection of that look in the shiny parts of the land based mech. He would be a car of some kind and she started anyalyzing specs to figure it out to distract herself from her fear. By the time the argument over '**Starscream's ridiculous choice of pet,**' was over she had determined that all those misplaced parts would make a nice mustang when put back together again.

"_If she repppp…fixed Starscream then she's pretty smart for a fleee…human! Maybe we should keep her?_"

"Um little friend do you need your audio modulator checked out? To my ears it sounds like its skipping a bit."

"_I'm fffff… Frenzy and no one has been able to find out what happpp…did this to me! You can ttttry if you wwwwant!_"

"I will give it a try later on after your larger friend has finished putting up a fuss about fated things that can't be helped by any of us. And as for you Mustang Bot. I would not be here were the choice mine, but that damned Barn burner Ironhide on your enemy's team burnt the barn and possibly my house when he came after Starscream! The Air Commander was civil enough to offer me a place here since I have no place elsewhere to go, and had worked hard and spent my own currency to fix him up! So, since my presence, or my business here is none of yours BACK OFF!"

"**Human you would not be half as brave if you were not hiding behind a very large Seeker.**"

"Thundercracker, I hate to bring it up, but I think if he was a human he would have just called you fat. I may have misinterpreted that but…"

"**BARRICADE!**"

The mustang dodged fast as the jet swung at him. He was laughing and she could hear it clearly over the sound of Mech on mech combat. The two had a scuffle that reminded her of her Aunt's house when all the boys were still alive and young. Brothers roughing up each other was normal as could be, but god forbid it should someone else challenge them because then it would be back to back and battle it out against any outsiders.

"**Nicely played fleshling. You will fit in well around here until someone forgets you are here and steps on you. I look forward to making Frenzy here clean up the mess!**"

"Eat toe fungus you sad sack of a wannabe sports car!"

The mustang flipped her off before he walked out of the room leaving her with the two Seekers and one small bot.

"_He was imppppressed. Barricade is hard to impress at the best of tttimes…without Blackout functional he is difficult. He has a hard ttttime trying to conttta…hold in his anger at Blackout's getting slagged by the humans._"

"Bad things happen. Considering how long this war has gone on you think he would know that."

"_Longer then humans eexxxxx- been in the universe! Yet he does not knnnn…realize how lucky he's been till now that no one he lllloves is dead!_"

"He cared a lot about this Blackout?"

"_Blackout was big slaggin dumb flyboy. You would say helicopter since that is what his form was here. Yes Barricade loved glitchy copter. Worst thing is he nevv…didn't tell him and now they might not be able to repair him enough to bring him back online._"

"**Who is trying to fix the stupid copter?**"

"_Hook is of course. No one is planetside right now to assssi..help him though._"

"Call me no one then. This Blackout person deserves to know someone loves him and that dumb mustang deserves the chance to be publicly embarrassed while trying to tell him so. Fate has decreed it and I need to be there. Will you take me to that spot without my running into this Megatron these other bots are constantly worrying I'll meet?"

"Yyyy…Sure!"

"**Yourself and Frenzy will fit between the paneling and into the access tunnels normally used by repair bots when they work on the Nemesis. Most of the poor things were blown out into space and got caught in the gravity well of that very large planet we passed by on our way here. If there are any then this will keep you out of trouble.**"

Thundercracker dropped a loop of bright silvery cabling with a funky pendant on it around her neck.

"_Its an ally bbbeacon! I did not know you knew how to mma…create those!_"

"**Oldest trick in the book. Seekers were the ones who invented ally beacons to begin with. During the age of winds when so many of us were born we needed to know who was friendly and who was from an enemy clan. This one is a double frequency emitter though. Decepticon frequency is dominant but my particular clan's Frequency is a part of the underlying signal. Keep it close and I will be able to find you if need be.**"

"Can do Thundercracker. Thank you."

The large jet robot was looking down at her funny as he placed her on the ground next to Frenzy. She waved good bye and went with frenzy intot he access panel and down a small corridor that the regular decepticon would consider impassible.

"_Decepticons don't normally say that._"

"Say what?"

"_Thhhank you. It is not something we ssss..tell each other. It can even be seen as a sign of weakness, esssspecially since silly autobots say it all the ttt…often._"

"I had no idea about that. I will still say thank you anyways. My mother raised me with manners. Manners usually means saying thank you when given something that no one was forced to give you, or when you are helped in some way. So I thank you as well Frenzy."

"_Helping Blackout will be thanks enough for my hhh…assistance. If he is back to functionality within a few days I will even teach you all the ways through the access tunnels that are not ffff…under water. _"

"There are a couple of places where the hull integrity is that bad?"

"_More then few…a lot._"


	4. Chapter 4

{Lots of hits on this one so I am accepting the encouragement in that form for right now. I hope you enjoy this latest bit. Planning Update: The Cybertronian/Xeno probably wont be till chapter 7-9 or so now the plot exploded like superheated flour barrels now and has had some things that just up and added themselves wherever they felt they should go ^_^; My idea was for chapter 5 but noooooooo. So sorry peeps! Also there is no actual musical list for this one right now because I was not able to use my computer fully due to glitches. Wicked Falcon: Welcome to my review crew! Pick you out some cookies!}

{Adjustment as of 02/03/10--Technique Disclaimer: /start credits...Musashi/Antepathy and that person's partner in crime GabrielC invented the botatomy(bot+anatomy) and it's sexual usages as I use it in this story. Having seen it around I did not know it was not simply common usage until late last night when I was able to get back to my computer. My apologies to those two. also thusly this is updated and will be placed on all chapters! /end credits}

{also I apologies to any of the five people who might get all excited cause I posted these changes and not my chapter which should be up by friday at the latest in all its sucking glory cause my joy kinda went out of me}

* * *

Frenzy knew the way to the medical bay through the strange tunnels that were used by the repair bots to fix the ship. She saw one repair bot at a distance while they trans-versed the route in question. It was a little spidery looking creature with multiple optics and a bunch of tool bearing limbs that came off its back plate and were closed at the time like some sort of mechanical flower.

At last they came too the place where medic Hook effected repairs on his fellow mechanical people. Kalomel was impressed by the number and sheer variety of tools and equipment present. Some of it she could not even begin to determine the uses of despite her engineering bent.

"**This is the human who aided our Air Commander?"**

"_Yes this is the ffffemme in question._**"**

"**Do you think that you will be capable of such repairs as I require you to perform to aid me in recovering this foolish copter from his own mistakes?"**

"If the repairs in question do not require lifting over one hundred and fifty earth pounds then I am going to be able to help for sure. Beyond that I would begin to have a physical difficulty complying with any such orders.**"**

"**Your physical limitations will be noted and taken into consideration fleshling. "**

"What's first then?"

~*~

It had taken twenty hours for the human and robot team to repair Blackout to where he would be capable of sustaining his own spark. He would not be well enough repaired to be conscious until about three hours from that point, but Hook had suggested that they allow his now functional self repair units to finish the task while he recharged in the repair bay cradle. Kalomel had not felt up to arguing. In reality all she wanted was food and rest of her own. She still did not have a bed or bedding, just a net hammock hung up next to Starscream's recharge birth in his quarters.

Whatever the state of her 'recharge area' was she was looking forward very much to seeing it. Frenzy had returned towards the end of the last few minor repairs. He led her back along the route they had first taken about halfway before turning to the left and following a different conduit of the repair tunnels. They popped out from behind a well oiled hatch and into the corridor where the three Trine members had their quarters.

Thundercracker was heading towards Starscream's quarters at a reasonably normal pace. He seemed to be in no hurry. He detected the signal of her amulet as she approached him. Frenzy had gone back into the tunnels when he realized she was someplace where she was capable of finding her route the rest of the way. Kalomel had not even said goodbye to the smaller mechanical person. She sighed and made a mental note to apologize later. She was suddenly a great deal higher up and being held carefully in the taloned hand of the black jet. He walked into Starscream's quarters with a mechanical bleep noise which she supposed was his access coding being transmitted to the door locks, Skywarp and Starscream were both already in the room. The door irised shut and she sighed.

"**It has been a long and difficult day for your squishy Starscream. Perhaps we should let her rest and go to one of our rooms instead?**"

"**No the squishy will sleep through almost anything as long as there are no loud sirens or explosions to wake her. Especially if we switch to Cybertronian which she has no understanding of at all.**"

"In about ten minutes sirens and explosions wont even matter. I have been up for nearly thirty six hours. Humans are supposed to recharge for eight out of every twenty four hours."

"**We are discussing a matter of some importance to you Kalomel. Please attend the conversation for a few moments then you may enter recharge unimpeded.**"

"So what's going on that involves me?"

"**We have calculated that in three more days we will be able to take you back to your domicile area for a short time to recon the damage and recover any needed items that are salvageable. According to Ravage's report of the area the autobots were packing up and leaving the region now that we have shown no signs of returning there any time soon.**"

"That's good I suppose. We would not want to be caught out by that _barn burner_."

"**Indeed not. **"

Kalomel had a feeling that Skywarp and Thundercracker were amused by her nickname for Ironhide. With Starscream it was common not to be able to tell at all what he was feeling and you simply had to take his word when he answered you without any input other than what he actually said in his replies. She was sure the other two had reading him down to an art form but when you have been with someone for a few thousand years at least then that counts for something.

"When do you want to go? I will probably have to clear it with Hook, as he seems intent on borrowing me for a few dozen tasks after this recharge period."

"**Of all the bots in this base Hook is the least of whom you should answer to, barring being in his actual presence of course. However I am certain that your self preservation instincts are at least that well developed.**"

"Um yes Starscream I know not to sass any bot when I am actually in the room and not halfway down a bolt hole, well except for you all of course. You three actually have a documented sense of humor."

Kalomel smiled because this time she could tell what Starscream's face portended. It was the fake '_frustration and anger_' face he used on Skywarp when the purple jet pulled some kind of joke or foolish display of crazy antics. With a coy smirk Thundercracker shielded her from his Trine Mates with his other hand, then scowled back at Starscream's mock-fierce expression.

"**I for one am not cleaning a paste of squishy bits off your walls and floor Starscream, so please try to contain yourself.**"

"**I am sure that I am capable of some self restraint Thundercracker. The human is not going to die by my hand…TODAY at any rate.**"

Kalomel looked between the cage of Thundercracker's fingers and stuck her tongue out at the coppery Jet-Bot. He obviously had reached the end of his restraint at that point, because his laughter echoed off the walls for a good minute before he calmed himself enough to go silent again.

"**Recharge period after next will be somewhat shorter Kalomel. We will need to leave in the darkest hours of planetary night to reach the location of your homestead and give you enough time to strip the place of needed items and assess the damage for later repair.**"

Later repair. He'd said later repair. He had some way or some plan that might well lead to her being able to return to her home. She might get back to her place in the world, and get back to some of the more simpler things in her life that she had been so afraid were lost to her forever. Kalomel sighed aloud and stepped off Thundercracker's hand by her hammock. In the hammock was something new that had not been there the last time she left the thing to go with Starscream and Skywarp the previous 'morning.'

The stack of bedding in her hammock was old and scratchy looking, like army surplus or some such thing. Yet the sight of two blankets sitting folded carefully in the middle of the hammock with a pillow on top made her eyes well with tears. She did not look at the Bots until she had gained some of her self control back again.

"I appreciate this addition to my recharge area. Thank you very much Air Commander."

"**It is not required that you use my rank when addressing me Kalomel. We are after all 'room mates' as I believe the humans call this arrangement of ours. Such formalities are not required when only my Trine is present with us or we are alone here where no one will disturb us.**"

"Fair enough Starscream. Can I recharge now?"

"**Yes of course Kalomel. Please forgive the delay. It was discourteous of me to let it continue so long.**"

Kalomel had heard only half of what Starscream had said. The copper Jet's room mate was already fast asleep.

~*~

The Small human was still recharging. Her brainwaves showed that she was in such a deep recharge she would not wake up unless her life was most severely endangered. She had been correct in her statement of not being bothered by sirens or explosions. Skywarp and Thundercracker had gone off to Sky's quarters with some amorous acts being their intent upon arriving there. He had been invited along but had refused. He had to file his barbs and then recharge his own self before the next mission window when he would be assaulting the members of the human Autobot Faction that called themselves NEST.

He wondered if the human comprehended that he would soon be killing her kind, and that it was not the first time he had done so, and mostly while being gleeful at the prospect of such kills. He doubted that she believed it for a fact, even if she knew it as a possibility or she would not rest so easy in his presence, fate sense or no.

He filed the barbs of his right hand with care that the scraping noises did not reach their usual volume. Such consideration was not something he showed his fellow Decepticons, barring his Trine, who occasionally were on the receiving end of such courtesies. His Trine mates would not be surprised had they seen him showing such care with the recharging human. They knew for a fact that which would never even be whispered as rumor among the ranks of the Decepticon army. Starscream was indeed still capable of the kindness that he had purposefully sacrificed for the war.

He stared at the human for some time before he finished with his left hand's barbs. The personal maintenance was finished and it was time for him to hook into his recharge station and get some rest. Tomorrow would be difficult for him. Upon his return she would perhaps be awake and capable of asking him about his latest mission. He could lie but he felt that Kalomel would see through such a falsehood easily. He would have to be truthful, and she would have to take it, as it was needful to fight this war against all who joined the Autobot cause.

He slipped into recharge in his berth with little trouble despite his concerns about the mission and its difficulties both during and afterwords. His systems knew what they needed and unlike the humans his rest could not be disturbed by his concerns. He was a would fly the sky and bring terror to his foes tomorrow morning. So now he would rest.


	5. Chapter 5

{A/N: I have 4 reviewers now! Rice Crispy treats this time instead of cookies! For comm usage speech inside the " " will be these : : so it will look like this ":**HI!**:" Decepticons of multi story stature have **Bold** speech as I am sure you have noticed, and the One Symbiont of Soundwave we have seen, or little pal Frenzy speaks in _Italics_}

{Adjustment as of 02/03/10--Technique Disclaimer: /start credits...Musashi/Antepathy and that person's partner in crime GabrielC invented the botatomy(bot+anatomy) and it's sexual usages as I use it in this story. Having seen it around I did not know it was not simply common usage until late last night when I was able to get back to my computer. My apologies to those two. also thusly this is updated and will be placed on all chapters! /end credits}

{also I apologies to any of the five people who might get all excited cause I posted these changes and not my chapter which should be up by friday at the latest in all its sucking glory cause my joy kinda went out of me}

* * *

Kalomel woke to find Starscream gone on his mission along with the other two members of his Trine. Chances that she might end up dodging anyone who might be in their hallway were now minimal. The leader of the Decepticons had quarters far across the vessel. No Megatron to worry about and most of the other ships quarters on this entire level were vacant according to Starscream. She had gone to Thundercracker's quarters where she had stashed her small makeshift stove, cooked, and eaten, then returned to the repair bay by the marked ways.

She definitely needed to thank Frenzy for his assistance. The brightly colored chalk led all the way from the hatch they had come in last recharge period to the repair bay. He had to have gone out of his way all the way back to mark it after gaining access to the chalk wherever it was stored in the first place. Then he would have had to return to the hatch area before beginning his markings. There were several other colors that led off in other directions. The one stripe was made with paint in a bright red color. That she supposed would lead to someplace severely dangerous such as the hallway where Megatron had his quarters. She would ask Frenzy about his color code later on in the day if she saw him when he was not on reconnaissance.

Hook was not interested as she had thought in having her committed to tasks. Instead he was more interested in testing her and teaching her more about the Physical aspects of Mechanical kind. She proved to have been wise to use her eyes on Barricade because the mech came in later in the day with some pretty severe damage.

"**Ironhide.**"

He only needed to say the one word. She was so furious at hearing the name of that barn burner that had she the capability her eyes would have glowed wicked red as decepticon optics. Hook showed her how to apply neural pathway blocking equipment to the sensor net of the damaged mustang and then they began repairing the blaster holes and crushed pieces that made up the Decepticon who was sometimes a police cruiser.

"**It is rare to meet anyone who has just as much cause to dislike the Autobot gunner as I do. We often clash in battle though and I have come to respect my enemy and his skills. I also suggest that the next time you encounter him all he should see is your aft as you flee the area. I doubt that he will be in any way forgiving towards you after what happened at your residence.**"

"_If,_ and that's a big if there, I ever encounter him again he better hope I have not finished work on my grenade launcher! That and Nelsons rarely ever run away. We know what happens anyway to a point, and after that its all prayer and conceptualizations, but we still stay and fight because every single blink of an eye or flapping of a butterfly's wings can change the fate of Billions once the ripples spread."

"**You believe this down to the base of your spark don't you?**"

"Yes I do. Humans have souls by the way, not sparks."

"**Irrelevant. Regardless of that I appreciate the assistance in my repairs. Please do so again in the future.**"

"**She seems intent to help keep us running for a bit longer 'Cade.**"

"**BLACKOUT!?!?!**"

"**Yes it is I in all my recovered glory. Thanks to Hook and the squishy but oh so pleasant Kalomel. By the way 'Mel' I will help you design a launcher sufficient enough to actually lob damaging amounts of explosives at Ironhide later, after I am done in paint.**"

"The repair bots have enough members to paint you efficiently? If not I can help somewhat."

"**The thirty of them should be able to manage it in a few microns or so. They are fairly fast with paint. I just wish we had some more desirable shades and hues. I look so drab in military operations colors.**"

"Use Skywarp's stash. Then you would be Purple!"

"**Eck no! Why in the pit would I want to be **_**PURPLE**_**?**"

"Ah now now Blackout. No offense meant. It just happens to be one of my favorite colors."

"**Along with mirrored black and a rather shiny shade of copper I am sure.**"

"Suck exhaust pipe Barricade!"

"**Only after I vid you licking some afterburner Squishy.**"

"**You **_**LIKE**_** the Seekers? As in LIKE like?**"

"BARRICADE!!!!!!!!"

~*~

If somebody had told Kalomel two weeks ago that she would be repairing giant sentient robots who could gossip like old women on a front porch, and that she would be participating in the banter, and giving as good as she got from said robots, she would have asked for that persons psychologist name and number to report them for gross ineptitude, then gone home with samples to test the drinking water for bad microbe infestations. Yet here she was laughing her ass off at some story about Seeker antics as told by Blackout.

The design for her grenade launcher was on his workstation screen, having been completed ages ago. Now they were using additional pop up screens to work on explosive rounds and incendiary blast charges that could be loaded into the launcher. Another of her designs tanked with a loud alert beep that meant parameters had been exceeded. All she had Blackout put in for parameters was that the round be launch-able to a distance where its blasts or other effects not encompass her position no matter what the environmental concerns were. She had not included hurricane force winds or tornadoes or anything extremely severe but if good breeze could blow her rounds off course that would suck to put it mildly. So Kalomel scrapped the lighter skinned incendiary shell and went back to brass jacket similar to bullets.

Decepticon explosive substances were amazingly stable until exposed to an electrical current which triggered them with the desired amount of 'boom.' However getting the rounds to do what she desired of them was becoming difficult.

"**You should recharge soon. I believe better results will come out of it if you are at full energy capacity before continuing along this particular path of research. I will return you to the Seeker's corridor.**"

Kalomel could not do anything but agree. She was hungry, in need of good nap, and just about as sharp as a hammer as a result.

"**Your Seeker companions estimated return time from their mission is in about six of this planet's hours. That should be sufficient time for you to top off your reserve energy and recover from my repairs.**"

"Yeah should be just about right. I appreciate your help with the design work. Thank you Blackout."

"**Honestly Squishy One, I believe you were told about not saying thank you to Decepticons, were you not?**"

"Yes and I replied the same as I will now. I will continue to behave in a way that would not embarrass my parents should they have been present for such behavior. Thanking an individual for assistance or help they have given me is the least thing they would expect of me Blackout. I can't let them down even if they are no longer in this world."

"**What other world would they be 'in' if they are not in this one Mel? Humans do not have the required technology to reach other orbs suitable for their habitation.**"

"Its an expression Blackout. If someone is said to not be in this world anymore it means they are permanently offlined. The more crude or more direct among humanity would say that they are either dead or deceased. They perished in a fatal car accident about four years ago along with the two senior citizens and one middle aged man in the van that hit them head on. The driver had a stroke and crashed their vehicle into my parents. They had the privilege of dying quickly, which is something I am sure my path will make me beg for in the end."

~*~

"**Very few Decepticons reach offlining, either permanently or temporarily, in a pleasant manner Kalomel. You are fast becoming one of us. I consider you as such all ready. The Seekers likely do too, as well as Hook and that silly aft head Barricade. I believe that the human expression 'welcome to hell,' applies. So Welcome to Hell Decepticon Junior Medic Kalomel, Enjoy your stay! **"

Kalomel joined Blackout in the wicked laughter that they made in their grim moods. Their minds were both very much on the subject of being offlined. Blackout thought long and hard about what he wished he had done in the seconds while his processor was firing its last abortive commands to his ruined body. Now, because this small squishy thing had stuck her hands in his ruined chassis, he was well again and able to take care of a few of those things, so he was going to do so while the opportunity remained open to him.

He sat the human down outside Starscream's quarters and strode off purposefully without seeming to hurry in the direction of one of the lifts. He rode the lift down several levels to one of the laboratory sub levels. Barricade could be found in his small workstation on this level without fail unless he was in repair, recharge, or on a mission. Sometimes he even used the conscious recharge jack at his designated work station when he was busy enough processing intel to not be able to take a recharge break. He would be there during this particular hour of the human planetary rotation, especially with the Seekers out on a mission. The intel dumps they would send back were often of the sort that needed to be analyzed right away if not sooner.

~*~

{Originally a smutty bit was put here between Barricade and Blackout. To preserve rating of T/pg-13 it has been edited out in this instance. You can find it on adult fan fiction (dot) net in the movies transformers section cause I am going to put it up there entire chapter wise. TY!}

~*~

Barricade looked up several hours later in his work cycle to see Megatron looming over him.

"**Yes my lord?**"

"**The human. What is the purpose of having a insect like that in our facilities?**"

"**Repair assistant to Medic Hook, Skilled also in weapons development and working with Blackout in that capacity after having aided Medic Hook in repairing Blackout. Starscream is also fond of her and is keeping her recharge area in his own quarters for her safety.**"

"**To prevent my encountering the insect I suppose.**"

"**Honestly…Yes My Lord. That would be the idea behind that and her main method of transit between her duty stations and recharge area by moving through the repair bot tunnels around the ship.**"

"**Honesty is not always the best policy, and in your case a good lie might have served you better…**"

"**I have no desire to lie to you when I have given my oath. I reported the Human as soon as I was clear of Starscream's weapon sights. She did repair him when He was unable to fly also and suffered Autobot retribution for this act as well. That was in my report My Lord.**"

"**Yet you feel that it is worthy of a second mention in my presence?**"

"**Yes My Lord.**"

"**Autobot retribution you say?**"

"**Yes My Lord. Her vehicle storage facility and residence both received damage. From Ravage's reports the vehicle storage and several complex units required for her primary function in human society were utterly decimated, and the housing unit also received some damage on the side of it nearest to the destoryed building.**"

"**Careless Autobots shooting at Starscream without concern as to the human's residence and property no doubt.**"

"**Ironhide sir. Starscream also reports that the human drove a vehicle of equivalent mass to the Autobot gunner into his legs in an attempt to eliminate the threat to herself and the Trine, whom had arrived on site and were taking fire at that time.**"

"**Now **_**that **_**I would have given a few barrels of energon to see!**"

"**I am operating on the assumption that the Autobot did not appriciate the adjustment to his surface finishes.**"

Megatron looked amused then his features became thoughtful.

"**Did she not also repair you earlier in this cycle?**"

"**Yes My Lord, and with great skill and speed.**"

"**Hook will often take any helpers he can find as so few medics aide our cause. I will not reprimand him for this habit as it has proved useful. However I suspect I will be having a few words with my Air Commander for bringing the insect here in the first place.**"

"**My lord…?**"

"**Yes Barricade she may stay for now and I will not attempt to kill the insect femme out of hand**. **Are the reports coming in now?**"

"**Yes My Lord. Fuel and chemical and elemental resources have been acquired with minimal human contact and minimal damage on the part of the Seekers.**"

"**Excellent. I will expect a report on the total amount of each resource acquired and I want Starscream to deliver it in person. Please inform him of this upon his return.**"

"**As you will it My Lord.**"

Barricade kept his head bowed in respect until Megatron had left and the doors to his duty station had slid closed again. He shuddered in surpressed fear and offered thanks to Primus that he was not the small fleshling femme or the Air Commander. Thinking of it he contacted Hook and when he was informed that the human was recharging he contacted Frenzy.

":_I will tttell Kkkalomel. If she gets to stay then perhaps she should have a comm unit made for her and set to an iiiindividual fffrequency?:_"

":**Megatron has said she may stay. Take her to Soundwave and have him fashion something. Then inform me of the new frequency.**:"

":_Will ddddo!_:"


	6. Chapter 6

{A/n: Xeno fun might be in chapter 8-9 just as I suspected. Angsty dark stuff coming up in this fic also. REVIEW PEOPLE! I need to know how I am doing and where you all feel I could improve. PLSPLSPLSPLS! Thanks! ^_^ / end begging }

{Adjustment as of 02/03/10--Technique Disclaimer: /start credits...Musashi/Antepathy and that person's partner in crime GabrielC invented the botatomy(bot+anatomy) and it's sexual usages as I use it in this story. Having seen it around I did not know it was not simply common usage until late last night when I was able to get back to my computer. My apologies to those two. also thusly this is updated and will be placed on all chapters! /end credits}

{also I apologies to any of the five people who might get all excited cause I posted these changes and not my chapter which should be up by friday at the latest in all its sucking glory cause my joy kinda went out of me}

* * *

Kalomel was not frightened of the huge Mech called Soundwave. She supposed that someone seeing him for the first time among his peers would be more frightened of him then many of the others. However she knew he was under orders to provide her with a Comm Unit of her own and not ordered to hurt her. As an engineer she was fascinated by the process by which he designed a piece of brand new technology to overcome her '**Deficiencies**' and tie her into the Decepticon communications network.

In the end she had a small control unit embedded in a belt buckle the size of a larger sand dollar. The unit was tied to her by a synthetic strap and a headset with one ear piece and a mic on a boom arm that flicked down near her mouth when she pressed the activation switch on the ear piece was also included.

"**To answer any incoming communications depress the activation button once. To contact others enter the numbered codes assigned to their specific frequencies and then depress the activation button once. To determine who is contacting you prior to your answering the comm unit you may look at the screen on the main unit. You have also been given the Junior Medic rank. It is appropriate to answer with that ranking and your designation. Customary pleasantries and exchanges or lack there of after you answer the comm depend on rank protocol. Such things can also depend upon the individual and if they have dispensed with rank protocol or informed you that such protocols are no longer required.**"

"I appreciate your efforts on my behalf Soundwave. I have some minor questions then I will leave your duty station."

"**Proceed.**"

"Is the unit capable of taking messages? Also is the unit water proof? Unless it is water proof I do not wish to take it with me when I perform my necessary daily hygiene maintenance. That and unless it is an emergency I am not likely to answer during my recharge periods."

"**Yes it is capable of recording the frequency of the individual who contacted you and will record a brief verbal message from that individual. A special Audio Emergency Alert will activate if someone uses the emergency comm linkup code. Also Lord Megatron's comm will have a special audio indicator. No the unit is not water proof at this time though I will endeavor to design such a feature into future incarnations of the unit. At next upgrade I will also attempt to tie you in to your species' primitive world wide network and cellular communications. Until that time if you wish it I can access your human phone system so that you may contact your family members and insure them of your continued survival. The Air Commander has asked that I do so immediately as by now they will be fairly concerned due to the situation at your previous base of operations.**"

"I would like to do so at the earliest time it is convenient for you. I have three aunts and four uncles who will be concerned, and a third cousin with a baby on the way that I would like to check in with to determine her progress. However as it would be long and tedious for me to communicate with all of them in succession it would be easiest to contact my Auntie Charlotte through her cellular phone. The family gossip network will take it from there."

"**I will initiate contact after your full recharge period. Please return to this location at that time.**"

"Yes Sir Lieutenant Soundwave."

"**Frenzy will lead you back to Blackout's Weapons Research Station. Please continue with your projectile formula conjecture as Lord Megatron has expressed an interest in the results and requests quarter cyclic updates.**"

"Reports every four hours while I'm working on it?"

"**Precisely.**"

"Thank You Sir. Good Day."

Kalomel retreated from Soundwave's sight before he could chastise her for saying the dreaded phrase. Even so he did not seem inclined to do so like the others were. Perhaps his perceptions of common courtesy were different then those of his fellow Decepticons. Putting it aside for the moment to consider later, Kalomel wandered back into Blackout's research station.

Blackout himself was not present, but as the screen he had designated for her use was manipulated entirely by a stylus on a holographic keyboard, one that he had programmed to use English language and characters before he departed, she was well equipped to continue the conjecture phase of her research. Development of prototype projectiles and the actual weapon would not occur until some time next week if she kept up at this current pace and was only interrupted when there were needed repairs or lessons she had to attend with Chief Medic Hook.

Her fate sense tingled pleasantly several hours later. The Trine had to have returned for that exact feeling was one she had come to associate with one or more of them appearing in her general vicinity. They were severely late though compared to the time that Blackout had said. Something must have gone wrong. Her new comm unit beeped and she answered it when it did not show the 66 code that stood for Megatron's Frequency.

":**Junior Medic Kalomel, this is Chief Medic Hook. Report at once to the repair bay for extensive repair duty cycle. You will also need to bring hydration and sustenance, as Thundercracker will require a long work session past the time you will have to refuel your systems**:"

Now she knew that Hook's Comm frequency was 42. She had asked what each of the Trine Members frequencies were and that of Barricade and Blackout and Frenzy. Unsurprisingly, as chief communications officer, lieutenant Soundwave's Comm Frequency showed up as 00 on her unit. She rode the lift up to the Seeker's level and entered Thundercracker's quarters where her food was stored. Four tubes of crackers and a jar of peanut butter went into a book bag that Barricade had gotten for her someplace on top of four large water bottles, all of which were full.

~*~

Thundercracker came back to consciousness to the familiar lack of sensation that meant he was severely damaged and under sensor blocks. Small hands were working on his parts. Kalomel was at work on him with Hook then. He rotated an optic in the direction of the very tight fit she was currently making in his chassis. Hook was holding the squishy female by her ankles while she was removing a fractured bolt that his systems told him were the only thing holding his gyroscopic system into his internals as all the other bolts had been fractured enough to fall away or already had been removed before he was able to return to consciousness.

"**Starscream would love to vid this for later blackmail.**"

"Nah he's to busy worrying about your aft to think of blackmail or gathering intel for later blackmail on you right now Thundercracker."

"**I doubt that. Starscream doesn't worry. Warp maybe but not Screamer.**"

"Perception errors too I think Hook. Someone would seem to require a full systems overhaul sooner then later."

"**Prognosis Agreed with Junior Medic Kalomel. Once he is stable enough for such procedures we will begin with that work. I will need to recharge prior to our completion of such a task, which means you will have to serve a duty cycle here at the repair bay. As soon as you have removed the broken gyroscopic device part please return to your recharge area, refuel properly and recharge for as many planetary hours as possible.**"

"I have it Chief Medic Hook. Please pull me out slowly."

"**Affirmative**."

His gyroscope was slagged hard core. Thundercracker groaned in despair. It would take five hours more to build a replacement gyroscopic panel and then another hour for hook to replace it. Six hours without Kalomel's skilled hands in his chassis. He found that idea disturbing. Hook was much more then simply capable so why was his logic processor not kicking up a fuss about his dislike of the idea?

"**Request logic circuits and logic processors be priority in overhaul procedures Chief Medic Hook.**"

"**Negative. Logic systems are third level priority in descending order after repair of gyroscopic panels and perception circuit board.**"

~*~

Kalomel left the repair bay and went back to the Seeker's corridor. She had just popped up in the hall and takena bout four steps when a metal hand closed around her with startling speed and she was lifted up to level with Skywarp's Optics.

"**How is Cracker?**"

"He's going to have his gyroscopic panel replaced. So Hook is building him a new one right now. Other then that he was pretty badly slagged by whatever you guys ran into. Barricade said that you had not received any damage in your mission. So would you care to tell me what happened?"

"**No. It is for Starscream to say, or Thundercracker when they decide to bring it up.**"

"**I do not believe that I will be explaining it to you any time soon Junior Medic Kalomel.**"

They had entered Starscream's quarters. He looked just about as slagged as Thundercracker. Self repair systems were whirring away at top speed. That she could hear such systems working meant bad things. Starscream should be in the repair bay right beside Thundercracker! Why wasn't he?

"You need to get down to the repair bay now Starscream! Half your systems are practically slagged!"

"**Megatron has forbidden the repair of myself. It would be so as well for Cracker if I had not offered sufficient penance after Barricade and Blackout removed him from the scene of confrontation.**"

"Why would Megatron damage you so badly? You did good on this mission you just went on didn't you?"

"**Better then mere 'Good.' We acquired three times as much resources as were required for our continued operations for the next three month period.**"

"That's a lot of cargo."

"**Yes it is.**"

"So he beat you up because…Oh god and fates! It was because I am here wasn't it!?!?"

"**Though Screamer does not view it as such, Lord Megatron views his acceptance of your help and the subsequent reward of your being given a place with us as weakness and folly respectively. I don't think it was either thing though. Slag it to the Pit! Kalomel you're leaking!**"

"**It is not a systems malfunction or tubing rupture Warp. The humans call it crying. Kalomel are you crying for me?**"

"Of course I am you slagging moron."

"**Do not cry on my account Kalomel. This will make the Six hundred thirty seventh time Megatron has severely punished me and required me to make penance for something or other. The other Six hundred thirty six were not on your account obviously. It is not an unusual occurrence.**"

"That doesn't make it less sad you glitchy crop duster! IT DOESN'T!!!"

"**Shh Kalomel Don't cry any more. I will mend eventually. It takes about six duty cycles on average but the pain fades and the wounds close eventually.**"

"**Not helping her with the extra data bits there Copper Bit. Its obvious that Mel here hates the way Megatron lays into you at every turn as much as we do.**"

"**He was not always this way. When first I met him he was what he once was for all Cybertronians. He was the High Lord Protector.**"

Kalomel allowed her tears to flow freely but she felt the twinge in her fate sense all the same. Something was off about this, not because a subordinate was being abused at the whim of a superior. That happened in all organizations everywhere to some degree. No this was because she was supposed to do something about it. What she did not know, but she had to do something and the opportunity to get the job done would come about sooner then later.

~*~

"**Kalomel cares about us a great deal Screamer.**"

"**That is her nature, or so I am beginning to believe Warp.**"

"**I wonder what Thundercracker thinks of her?**"

"**What are you going to suggest that it would matter what that crazy singularity humper would think of the Junior Medic?**"

"**Cracker took a hit for you today. He's been part of our Trine for ages but he never would have done that before I don't think. I've known him since we were sparklings. He's a selfish bot most of the time. No self sacrifice to speak of. He always has a secondary motivation when he does anything for someone else. Always, even if no one can figure out the nature of that motivation at the time.**"

"**I have known that for many cycles…**"

"**We should add to our Trine I think. It would be beneficial.**"

"_**Kalomel?**_"

"**Yes the squishy but oh so sublime Junior Medic. I sure as the Pit was not suggesting it be Megatron!**"

"**That would be why you wonder what the crazy one thinks of her then. Huh. I honestly do not know. Since she had her hands in his internal systems today his opinion might have changed from whatever it might have been before. I would at least guess that such an event would have an effect even on our Mate.**"

"**Cracker is a nut job and sometimes he's a pain but he does have the right to know I am thinking of this. However I want to know what you think of it first.**"

"**Kalomel…Being bonded mate to our Trine… First off I think Megatron is going to hit all of us even harder then he hit myself and our foolish Mate today. Secondly I think that we shall offer the option to Decepticon Junior Medic Kalomel Nichols upon the Approval of our Mate Thundercracker. I for one wholly approve.**"

"**Screamer you are just as off the wall as he is. I've missed your crazy go get it attitude though!**"

~*~

{Cut for robo smexiness again...see the unedited version over on adult ff(dot)net's Transformers movie section}

~*~

The double overload had knocked both bots offline. When they came back around and checked their chronos they found that they had gotten knocked offline for a quarter earth solar. Kalomel was stirring and about to awaken. They quickly unplugged from each other's ports. While he had been off line Starscream's wounds had completely closed. He was pleased to be free of pain at last.

"**Nothing like an overload to fix what ails a mech!**"

"**Warp!**"

"**Like you didn't need it and pit accursed badly too.**"

"**True enough.**"

"Starscream? How are you feeling?"

"**Better now thank you for your concern Kalomel. It is time for you to take the shift you were needed for by the Chief Medic.**"

"I will send Thundercracker back here swiftly enough. He should be back to what sorta passes for normal for him in about six more hours."

"**An overhaul is needed then?**"

"Hook agreed with it, and I think Thundercracker has been under way to much stress lately. Because of that, the stress fried some semi- crucial systems and put way to much strain on some others. He'll be so perky you are going to want to slap him silly when he comes out of it though. Just a warning there."

"**Perky? I do not recall Thundercracker being perky any time in the last several of your centuries. Perhaps he was in need of a complete systems overhaul much sooner then now?**"

"I'd say so. I have to grab some food, eat it and get down there. OH I almost forgot!"

Starscream watched as the Junior Medic activated her comm and spoke to Soundwave.

":**Understood Junior Medic Kalomel. I will select another time when my assistance will be available for the task.**:"

"Well that's that. If you guys wanna come cheer up your mate now would be the time. I think the Chief Medic will leave right after I arrive there so you would be able to have a Trine meeting in peace while I decide which systems to overhaul first."

"**Acceptable. We will go the normal route and arrive in a few moments. Encourage Hook to go to his recharge as soon as possible if you would please Kalomel.**"

"Certainly. Um Skywarp what are you giving me the weird optic for?"

"**Do not mind my mate Kalomel. He is mulling over many things that might change in the coming cycles.**"

"**My apologies Kalomel. Thinking and I don't go well together as I am sure you noticed.**"

"Ah but that's just a fake out for other people Sky. Aren't we friends now? You can leave off the fake dumb guy routine when you are around me. I promise I won't tell anyone."

Kalomel laughed as she left but she did not see the contemplative looks in the optics of the two bots. They waited until she had proceeded down the corridor and entered the access tunnels before they locked optics with one another and shared a wicked smile.


	7. Chapter 7

The Trine Mates sat with their prone member for a fraction of an hour speaking in the fluting electronic language of beeps and low mechanical sounds that was their native language. This dialect was obviously different then the one they spoke with their ground running robot peers. Whatever they said and Thundercrackers replies were all very swift though and they were all looking at her when they spoke of certain things. After a while they left her to her own devices and the repairs started progressing faster then before without having to maneuver around such huge obstacles as the robots.

The dizzy spell struck her hard about sixteen hours into the retrofitting of Thundercracker's systems. She did not want to stop but she had little choice but to take a break for food at least. Thundercracker was now conscious again after having his logic systems and everything else checked carefully by herself. Twelve major components had needed replacing besides the overhauled bits. Thundercracker had gotten to be in recharge for this. She obviously needed to go take her own recharge. The food and water had helped a little but she still felt spinny and odd.

"**You are not accustomed to this level of intense struggle against the forces of Entropy are you Kalomel?**"

"No Thunder I am not. I am used to working ten to twelve hours, sleeping eight and having the other four to six hours to my own devices. That is normally how it works on a farm mostly comprised of trees and some grain and grass crops on the side. Well that and my meals are eaten sitting down and are hot and cooked from scratch. I can make due with all this dehydrated stuff but a proper human diet has more fresh then preserved stuffs in it and lots more green leafy stuff and edible bits of vegetation."

"**You are both dismissed Junior Medic Kalomel. Thundercracker please escort the person who effected most of your repairs to her berth right away and let her rest until she is scheduled to leave for her former domicile in the morning.**"

"**Order Received Senior Medic Hook. I will comply. Come along now Kalomel.**"

Without waiting for her to reply Thundercracker lifted Kalomel off the deck plates and carried her off in the direction of the lifts. She had a hand on her mostly empty carry sack so it was not left behind. His hand was surprisingly warm for being made of metal. It was strange and none of the systems she had been handling would explain the way that their bodies were warm and sometimes even felt tingly like a force-field of magnetic nature was running along their limbs and torsos.

"**Kalomel I am curious about something regarding humans and their customs. If you can will you answer some questions for me?**"

"I will do my best Thunder but I am kinda sleepy so if you need clarification later I will understand."

"**What you have to say on the subject is what concerns me Kalomel. Expert opinions are not necessary or desirable in the matter at hand.**"

"…Oh ok then Thunder."

"**Tell me Kalomel what do you think of my Mates?**"

"In what regard Thunder?"

"**In any and all regards Kalomel. Your complete honesty is appreciated.**"

"Truth?"

Thundercracker nodded and waited with intent red optics focused down on the small femme in his hands.

"I am still in awe. Its surprising and amazing and well…its wonderful really. I never dealt well with my own kind but people made of machines? Oh it's a dream and well… ahem…"

Kalomel was blushing brightly. With his scanners turned to full Thundercracker could detect the spikes in hormones. He smiled, not benignly but a smile none the less, and waited for her to continue. It took her a moment to collect herself and calm a small amount. The hormones in her bloodstream were singing by at very high rates.

"**Say it Kalomel. SAY IT!**"

"I …I think all of you are very very attractive…HOT even."

"**That was not even close to the hardest thing you will ever have to say in this life Kalomel. Humans would say 'Man Up!' but I will tell you one better…DECEPTICON UP!**"

"_Embarassing _is all. "

"**I am aware of that. However that was what I wondered. As far as the human customs go I think I can spare you telling me that for a while.**"

"Internet exists for a reason you know Thunder. You could just google it."

"**I am aware of that Kalomel but your Google is not yet advanced enough to read your fleshy mind. I want the knowledge and wishes of your cortex not a covey of experts screeching like they really do know best.**"

"Why?"

"**Because I wish to know if you would want what Starscream and Skywarp intend to offer you. If it is an offer you would consider at least then I will back it. If not then I will tell them they should rethink the idea at the very least if not completely delete it from their skewed processors.**"

"You make both myself and my fate sense sing happy when yourself or your Mates are around Thunder. I don't think I would object to too many ideas that would keep me around such wonderful beings as you and your fellow Seekers of your Trine."

"**Hmm. Their idea would not horrify you too much then. I will tell them I accept it with conditions.**"

"Glad I could help you figure out if you wanted to approve or not."

"**Was not the issue Kalomel. If I had been thinking only of myself as I normally do I would have jumped at the idea and agreed without restraint. I wanted to know if it would hurt you or horrify you if we pursued this. That is not something I would care to have staining my spark when I answer to Primus at the end of my days.**"

"Fair enough Thunder. What are they so all fired up to offer me though?"

"**I cannot say Kalomel. I would not say in any case. It would spoil the surprise.**"

"Figures. Ah well I am out of the loop most of the time. Big surprise that hasn't changed."

"**That was sarcastic wasn't it?**"

"Yeah Thunder. Too mean when sleepy to be pleasant. That's me."

"**If that was 'mean' Kalomel then I and my mates would be considered very brutal indeed by your standards.**"

"Nah Thunder. Mean people suck. Megatron is mean, the sheriff in my home county is super extra mean and 'brutal' to the core. You and your Mates are not mean or brutal at all by comparison. I have not known you long enough to tell how you rate on the scale of 'nice' though. I think pretty high since most people would not carry me home after work after all."

"**I guess not, but then again were you the size of a mouse compared to a humans size in scale then they just might you know.**"

Kalomel smiled up at Thunder as they walked along the Seeker's corridor.

"If mice did open heart surgery with skill and precision then I suppose they would at that."

~*~

When Kalomel woke up again she stretched and yawned. Her body ached with the need for more sleep. Her fate sense did a triple pleasant ping though that told her all of the Seekers were looming over her before she even woke fully or opened her eyes. What had woke her was the pointer finger talon of Skywarp being run very gently up and down her back. She yawned again and rolled over and out of her hammock.

"**Good morning Kalomel. If you wish to perform a short maintenance prior to our departure to your previous base of operations that will be acceptable.**"

"Mkay…if you say so…good morning Sky, Thunder, Starscream."

"**For what reason do I not rate a shortened name?**"

"You can be 'Stars' if you want Starscream."

"**Just call him by his Trine nickname if you wish to be informal Kalomel.**"

"I can't do that Sky."

"**Oh and why not?**"

"I don't know what his Trine nickname is."

"**I would think that by now we would have used it in front of you, but perhaps we simply spoke in Cybertronian out of habit.**"

"Probably. Is it that phrase with the amused whistle on the end of it? I've been listening I just don't have the frame of reference yet to start learning your language."

"**That was in the Seeker tongue which predates Cybertronian as it was spoken prior to the war by about sixty thousand Cybertronian years. In ordinary Cybertronian it would be a bit less complex. More like this."** The fluting sound of the word still sounded like it was a funny joke. However it also sounded a bit shorter and clipped as if the front portion of the word was curled and tucked under the tongue rather then let out to flare beautifully from the Vocalizer of Skywarp."**In the current Decepticon dialect it would have a harsher click and a forceful accent on the middle syllable.**"

"So I need to learn threee languages?"

"**Four. We will make you learn the Autobot dialect as well so that you can on occasion communicate with our enemies should the situation require it.**"

"If only to state my name rank and serial number if captured."

"**That is something I very much hope does not because the Autobots would be anything but kind to you within the strictures of Priisoner keeping regulations as they see them, but because they might be forced to turn you over to your own nation's government. You would be considered a terrorist at that point and your people do not treat those who are considered such with any kindness.**"

"Real terrorists do not deserve the slightest kindness and should get back exactly what they give to the world Thunder. However that would make us just the same as they are and that is not something I would wish to be under any circumstances. However you are correct they would throw me in Guantanamo faster then you could screech out that obscenity you like to use so much while being repaired."

"**Thundercracker! Watch your language around Kalomel or I will be very upset!**"

"**Sorry** **Starscream. I am sorry about that also Kalomel. I should not have subjected you to my harsher vocabulary.**"

"Soldiers are soldiers Thunder. You are a warrior and have been since before my species and maybe even my world existed. A little coarseness of tongue is expected from lifer fighters. It goes with the territory, or so I have been taught to believe. However if its worth swearing over its worth a topical. So in future let me know if it hurts so I can fix it in a less painful way ok?"

"**Consider me chastised the both of you. I will try to keep your words in mind in the future.**"

Skywarp was looking at Starscream with a glitter in his optics that made Kalomel nervous for some reason she could not quite explain. Starscream nodded subtly to Skywarp and then reached for her to carry her someplace. They picked her up a lot more now then they had the first few days she was in residence at the Nemesis. She supposed they had to get over some sort of concern that they would hurt her when scooping her up, or at least get used to the logistics required to not hurt her when they literally took her in hand.

"So how long will we have once we arrive at the farm Starscream?"

"**I suspect we will have a few hours at the least. We may be able to stay an entire day should the Autobots not be in the vicinity and thus unable to detect us.**"

"I can hope for a day but I should expect about a sixth of that time. Good to know."

"**Kalomel? Are you not going to use my nickname then?**"

"I don't say words when I don't know what they mean Starscream. Not to mention that when they say it the intonation makes it sound like they think its funny. Its also something they call you not something everyone calls you. So it seems a little too intimate for me to be having fall out of my mouth. I don't have that status with you after all. They are your Husbands. I am your medic and room mate. Big difference."

"**Would my permission to call me such make it more acceptable Kalomel?**"

"A smidgeon maybe but not much. I will if you want me to though."

"**I would…like that a great deal yes.**"

"Sue thing then but first what does it mean anyway?"

"**In your language it would be pronounced Screamer. With the accompanying meaning of course.**"

"I was right then. It is kinda a teasing thing and intimate because I don't want to know why you are a screamer."

Starscream was set to be offended until he realized that Kalomel was laughing. The picture she made, sitting on his palm, while laughing with glee at the many levels of joke inherent in his Mate-given nickname, was one he would keep in his processors for a long time to come.

~*~

It was worse then Kalomel had thought. Her barn was 'slagged' to use the Mech swear word. It was an appropriate phrase in this case. The molten puddles of metal under the charred timbers and ash made it doubly so.

"I'm in deep shit here. I need to call my Insurance agent quickly as soon as he is open in the morning."

"**I suspect that Someone has all ready been called. There are about thirty different sets of tracks around the area where the barn was. Fire fighters and concerned neighbors were some of them but two of them were more recent and seemed to take a long time standing at each angle to see the damage **"

"Thanks for the intel Sky. Are there people in my house right now?"

"**Yes and they are moving around with some speed. I would say they are getting dressed to come and see what the commotion is.**"

"My Aunt Charlotte is here I would guess since she is the only person who would stay who knows where my hidden set of keys are, well the second ones since the primary set burned with the barn."

Kalomel was crying. She wiped at the tears already on her face but they kept stubbornly trickling down from her eyes.

"**Perhaps you should greet your kin. She is standing on the porch uncertain if she should approach or not. You may assure her we will not harm her**."

"Clear Auntie Char."

"If you are sure?"

"Yes Auntie. Kindly don't insult my comrades honor if you can avoid it. Thunder gave his word which in this case means all three of their word's."

"If you say so sweety. Um comrades?"

"I was given the option to become a Decepticon by joining the Faction named that. Fate dictated that it be so and I liked these fellows in any case. Its an Engineer's left nut kind of chance. You know how it goes."

"And the barn?"

"Unfortunately our alien robot friends come in two types. And they get along like democrats and republicans given plasma cannons."

"Joy."

"I think I would like to see that though let them dems and reps go toe to toe and last man standing wins."

"We'd have a woman president sooner then that then I guess Uncle Jacob."

~*~

Kalomel was napping on her own bed. Her Aunt had the fate sense just like she had though not as strong pulling a type. She had taken one look at Starscream and his Trine Mates and sent her to rest.

"You won't get much sleep in the next few decades sweety. I would say take it where you find it and let me handle packing you up for your little trip into the wilderness."

Aunt Charlotte had concocted the most likely excuse she could think of on the fly for Kalomel being absent from the farm. She had finished her 'little project' and left early for the mountains to go backpacking for a few days and was thus incommunicado during the entire time.

"**She is not going to fare well with us I don't think Human.**"

"Thundercracker wasn't it? Yes well I doubt that my dear boy. She really fares well everyplace she goes. Usually anyways. Misfortune tags along like in any life, but she is done with the suffering phase of her existence now, or at least nearly so. It will take a while for her to heal and the scars to fade, but her happiness will be with you. I have that feeling it is that way in any case."

"**I wish her to be with us very much. Starscream and Skywarp are of a like mind. I don't like the sick feeling in my processors though. Something bad is coming up.**"

"I get the same feeling now. All we can do though is pray our hardest, and when the time comes those of us who can must fight our hardest too."

~*~

The Sheriff car came down over the hill as Kalomel was having her hair braided into many tiny braids by her Aunt. The old pot hole riddled gravel and dirt road that lead out to herself and her neighbors was not the best of its kind or anything close to it. It took just as long to go down that road in an ordinary car as it did to get to the turn off from town even though it was three times shorter a distance to drive.

"The bad thing I sensed is coming up pretty soon. Its not going to be fatal for you dear one. Bear up under it as you can."

"Yea Auntie Char. I can and I will. I still want to find out why my fate sense and everything else jumps up and does the happy dance whenever they come near me. "

"I am curious is it one of the three or all of them?"

"Each one sets it off equally. When all three of them are in the same room as I am I tingle like I stuck my finger in a light socket, but in a nice way. I am so not used to nice way with the damned sense."

"I'd say not! I suppose the fates themselves know that the ole carrot and stick don't work without a carrot involved though."

"I'd say not." Uncle Jacob chimed in with his only contribution. He was lucky enough to not 'get the whole Fate sense thing,' and was grateful he had married into the family and not been born to it.

"Call Timothy Dalton. If the Sheriff takes me away it will be in handcuffs or not at all. I am not going to cooperate with him. I have a feeling it would be ten times worse if I did."

"Dalton your lawyer?"

"Yep. He's not a fancy trial lawyer but he will need to find one who will do the job when I am found in the vicinity of the sheriffs dead body or not at all. I am not going to let him have his way with me even if I have to kill him or ask it of my comrades."

":_**Target Request Acknowledged**_**. Facing the alternatives one should not be forced to interface against one's will if one can resist one's attacker.:**"

":Starscream? Did you just override my comm? That doesn't matter that much. What I want to know is why I get the feeling that you have been 'Forced to interface,' with someone before?:"

":**I have been so forced many times. It is often my penance when Lord Megatron is dissatisfied with me. As I said he is not what he once was.:**"

":Oh Screamer…I wish I knew before. I would have not gone. Autobot shooting me or no it is not cool that I caused you to have to face yet another incident.:"

":**Everything happens for a reason Kalomel. You should know this, and better then any of your peers even.:**"

":Yes but as the saying goes 'there are better ways to the same watering hole.' I am sure that it could have been worked out for the better somehow Screamer. Are you guys well concealed over the hill?:"

":**Indeed.**:"

":Screamer, Sky, Thunder, just in case this goes badly I should tell you something important first.:"

":**Oh? What would that be?**:"

":You are important to me, each of you in equal, different, and yet just as wonderful ways. I don't know if there are words for it in your languages that I don't yet speak, but I love you three very much. Don't do anything stupid while I am gone.:"

":**Do not risk yourself foolishly, but if the opportunity comes to flee the custody of this lawgiver, then do so at once Kalomel. As ranking Decepticon officer on site I am ordering you to proceed under the guidelines I have set out for this mission period.**:"

":_Order Acknowledged._ Junior Medic Kalomel will comply to the best of her ability. Auntie Char will have my comm unit until I am safely able to have it back. I do not want to let any civilians get ahold of technology of your level. They are not able to exercise the restrain required to use such gifts wisely.:"

":**Understatement there 'Mel.' Do your best out there… all right?**:"

":Yes Sky I will.:"

Kalomel removed her headset and the belt with the central unit on it. She handed these to her Aunt who placed them in an old tin lunch pail and took it back into the house to place on the shelf in the mud room, up high and scooted all the way to the back where even a fairly thorough search would not reveal it's location.

~*~

The fight was ugly. Kal's mouth was still bleeding and she felt like three or four of her ribs were cracked. On the up side she had given the sheriff not one but two shiners and his lip was puffed up as well. He was scowling int the rear view mirror as he drove. She knew he would be talking her back to his family's farm and not to the city lockup or county holding facilities. The turn off he had taken on the old county road only led up to the old place and not to anywhere else. It dead ended there and that did not bring any comfortable feelings into her heart to think about it that way.

A siren blooped briefly and the sheriff looked up in surprise. He pulled over in any case because he did not want there to be an upset that would somehow be recorded and leave traces as to what had happened to her. Auntie Char would know of course, but she and Uncle Jacob had hidden in the house before the sheriff had gotten close enough to the farm yard to see them.

It was a police cruiser not a sheriff's car, but as it was not a mustang it meant it was not Barricade. No handy dandy decepticon rescue to be had at this point she would simply have to hold out for however long and hope for the best.

"**She is not your rightful prisoner. As a Decepticon she is due the proper respect and treatment of a prisoner of war. Hand the female medic over at once.**"

"What?"

"**It is clear to me now that you captured her for your own amusement and not to hand her over for prosecution due to any violations of human laws. This discussion is at its end.**"

There was the sound of three impacts after the very deep voice stopped speaking. The first was the sheriff getting smacked, the second was him bouncing off the side of his cruiser. The third was the creep impacting the ground hard. Kalomel could not find it in herself to feel any sympathy with the way her wounds were bothering her.

"**Human are you capable of walking at all?**"

"I suspect I can hobble a bit yea. My ribs had the boot traffic not my legs."

"**You will receive medical attention at our base. Please come along quietly.**"

Kalomel's fate sense stung like a dozen bee stings then began to tingle relatively pleasantly. It was the feeling a person with any fate sense at all got when around others with similar abilities.

"**Can it be? A sister here among the fragile fleshling creatures?**"

"Brother?"

~*~

Starscream was in agony. He had not felt this way often. He had known physical pain a great many times and felt fear for himself nearly as many times as the pain he had come to be so familiar with. Rarely did he care for any outside his Trine and even then they were grown mechs and he did not expect them to be incapable of survival without his help. In all but the most dire situations they would be well enough. In such situations he needn't worry in any case because the three would be together.

Now the one with whom they had wished to form a four person family unit was now in dire danger and they could do nothing to risk exposure at this time and place to rescue the girl in question.

"She's fine already Robot. The injuries from the fight will heal and she is already in custody of someone other then the Sheriff. It will be a while before you meet up again. I recommend you figure a way out to be with her in a way that will satisfy all of you before then. She wants to be in your little family as badly as you want her there if not even more."

"**The older female human said that you were not of her physically related kindred, and so you did not have this curse that masquerades as a talent on occasion.**"

"Nope don't have a fate sense or anything like that. I just listened to the police band and a few other frequencies in the house. They found the sheriff pretty beat to shit out on the road up to his house and the back door of the cruiser was open. It looks like one person smacked him and then drove off in a larger sedan sized car. I'd say your foes have her, so while she won't be raped and murdered by the sheriff, she is a prisoner of war now."

"**Autobots are far kinder to those they imprison then we or your own kindred are male human.**"

"Uncle Jake would be more appropriate bot. You are pretty much going to be marrying my last niece alive, so feel free."

"**Very well then 'Uncle Jake.' I will consider you kindred from now forward if that is your wish. Recall it though that Seekers take such things far more gravely then any human alive has concept of. Kin are closer then simply mates or offspring. We are bound by our sparks as much as our wills and any commonalities of flesh. In any case I trust the other autobots to keep Ironhide from slaying her outright until he calms down. Once they settle their dispute it will be good for them as they have many pieces of their personalities in common with each other.**"

"That means that once they are finished fighting it out they will respect each other and maybe end up friends?"

"**I think they will be anyway. Screamer's right. Inner strength wise alone the junior medic and the old weapons specialist have a great deal in common.**"

"You the one called Sky?"

"**Yep that's me. Hi Uncle Jake!**"

"**Our third member has spied** **our old foe carrying Junior Medic Kalomel away in his chassis. We will have to wait to recover her at a later time and trust that there is a reason she needs to be among the Autobots other then to annoy them until their logic circuits fry. Thundercracker will track Mel and her captor as far as he can before returning.**"

"That will do. I bet I know a hacker or three who can find out where the most fuel usage in the country's military bases is going to. That will be the spot they take her with all of these Autobots you are at war with around to keep her prisoner. Otherwise she would do what the sense demands and run off again before they could spit."

"**Diego Garcia or so Soundwave says.**"

"Way over in the west coast of the sates then. Long flight but even longer drive. You boys can go hide out in the area before he even gets home to his friends. That way you can be ready to snatch and grab at the opportune time."

"**We are halfway there, correct Skywarp?**"

"**Yup**, **We're gone!**"

The two jets flashed out of existence in a moment, leaving fluttering white drop cloths behind as the only evidence they had been present at all.

* * *

{_**A/N**_5382 words prior to authors notes on this one yay!

I was fairly upset at the wording of a certain review having corrected the Adult fanfiction version of this to state as it has been stated before that the way botnatomy works is of Musashi/Antepathy's and their friend GabrielC's original making I came over here to do the same and found the review by fishy _which I will leave up for all to see._ They came up with the idea and once I knew it was not a common thing but their thing I gave credit because I would not willingly plagiarize anything anyplace. However the reviewer fishy needs to do two things, 1: Sign in to leave reviews even if you have something very inflammatory to say. I accept flames when needed no problem, just own your behavior. I sign in even to tear people's work apart constructively, even when I get going off on a tangent and thus I surely hurt their feel bads. So #1 is OWN your behavior/opinions/words. Here comes #2. 2: Watch the auto assume stuff buddy. You don't know me from the littlest or greatest descendant of eve here so don't just automatically be 'all up in my grill'-{Cousin Hilly Quote That} and assume I am on purpose wronging others. I did not appreciate that in the least! Thank You!

_**Technique Disclaimer**_: 'Sticky' PNP was invented by Musashi/Antepathy & GabrielC(who may or may not have a ffdotnet account to go with his affdotnet account If so please let me know so I can read your stuff that is over here :D thanks!) With some minor changes I will be using this method for the duration of this story. Also please note the fact that this particular story site(ffdotnet) does not see the sex scenes at all due to the fact that I want to leave the actual story in the T rating area to be found and read by as many people as possible so I can receive criticisms and assistance while I learn this fandom. Thank you to all 8 of my reviewers _even fishy_. Now that I have properly credited your friends you can feel free to enjoy my fic guilt free ^_^}


	8. Chapter 8

{_**A/N**_: You are getting a triple update today. Since no matter what I wanted chapter 9 came out shorty mac short stuff in length i am giving you eight nine and ten allin one swift update. However long it takes to spell check em and add notes that is.

**Technique disclaimer**: Bot smexishness and botnatomy is modded after the style of Antepathy and her cohort in crime Gabriel C's method of squishy pnp stuffs. Thanks

Notes on language denotations: One * is decepticon/Autobot dialect depending on speaker and situation ** is seeker speak and // on each side indicates a remembered conversation being gone over again in some bot's processor. }

* * *

"**Why is it that you are not complaining little sister? Humans with your level of injuries normally complain with every breath.**"

"I've fought the sense and fate's own will before big bro. I don't even think of this as pain, more along the lines of middle level discomfort."

"**Why would you…ah for morality's sake is it then?**"

"Only reason worth that much pain don't you think? Fate doesn't decide what's wrong and right or expediency would be more important then goodness."

"**I only fought it once and that time was worth the blinding pain. Now that he is repaired you will be able to meet Jazz and perhaps see why.**"

"You guys mated then?"

"**Indeed. Ourselves and occasionally myself and Ratchet as well though ours is a occasional fancy not a lifelong mating like myself and Jazz.**"

"Ratchet? That's your Chief Medic isn't it?"

"**Yes. I would not be surprised if even Decepticons tell horror stories of Ratchet. He is…your best earth word is Fierce. We would say…**" the word he uttered sounded both warm and fearfully respectful at the same time. Kalomel was surprised at the expressiveness of the Cybertronian language. It had so many layers of nuance depending on the speaker. So many feelings to be conveyed with a clipped word or short chirped phrase.

"I kinda get the impression that both Fierce and Protective were in that word together as one concept. Two fate senses working together is sorta like high level empathy isn't it?"

"**I have found that those with our particular sensor settings find ways beyond communications difficulties rather fast yes.**"

"Will you help me learn some more Autobot dialect while I am at your base? That is if it is allowed of course."

"**I will start at once little sister. It will be more then a day long journey. Well into the dark portion of your cycle, even with my route taking us through places where I can achieve speeds closer to the ones only human air vehicles can normally reach. We will stop for human refueling at three designated times. I also can stop for you to intake and dispose of fluids.**"

"Considering that it is either you stop or you have me fabreeze your interior when we arrive I'd say that would be a important part of the game plan there."

~*~

"**It is time for your first refueling sister.**"

"Yeah Prowl I am up…well sorta."

"**Do you often sleep on long journeys? Or are you damaged enough to require immediate repair? **"

"Are my pupils pretty much even in size?"

"**Yes**."

"Then I suppose I will be all right eventually. I am just overly traumatized emotionally I guess, and of course I have been shorted on sleep like no other since taking up my additional duties. "

"**They do not respect your requirements for recharge among the Decepticons?**"

"Emergencies crop up a lot with them. I am not surprised, although my Auntie Char told me I would not be getting much sleep for the next decade so I should take it while I can. I think after I get a snack and a bio break I am off to the land of dreams. O.k. with you bro?"

"**I do not require companionship or conversation while transiting back to base. It would probably be best if you spent most all the trip recharging. Optimus Prime will wish to interrogate you upon our arrival. That will be difficult for you.**"

Kalomel thought that maybe this Optimus person would be cruel or difficult to her. She had no concept of what would really happen.

~*~

Her mouth had cracked while she slept. The scabbed blood opening up and making her mouth taste disgusting was not the most pleasant way to awaken. She still felt like her whole self had been stepped on by Megatron. The Sheriff hit hard and had not pulled any of his blows. She mentally spat on his memory before sitting up and taking a look at her surroundings.

"**Human female Decepticon, I suspect that you had some internal bleeding in the past few hours. Nutrients sufficient to fuel your internal repair systems will be provided until you have sufficiently recovered.**"

"Thank you for the courtesy. I'm Junior Medic Kalomel Nelson. Who are you?"

"**Autobot Senior Medical Officer. Designation: Ratchet. I believe that humans at this point would say either 'Hello' or 'hi' depending on their proclivities, but we do not have much time for that.**"

"Is the Optimus Prime that Prowl mentioned wishing to talk to me now then?"

"**The Prime wishing to speak with you or not is not a priority. I have a very injured mech to repair and your assistance is required as my Seeker medic is on the other side of this nation and I cannot await that unit's return to base to complete the repairs of this seeker or they will be permanently offlined.**"

"Why are we wasting time jawing around then? Lets go Ratchet!"

~*~

The seeker was silver all over and shone with light even so damaged that he could not move on his own and certainly could not take an alternate mode at the time. It was obvious he was still in his alien alt mode. He was beautiful but Kalomel figured she would have longer to appreciate him if she did not let him die of his damage.

"** Brother I am a medic and I am going to help you now so please don't rough me up too much."

"***Only seekers speak seeker human. Who taught you?**"

"Starscream was teaching me before I got hijacked by the sheriff and then by an Autobot."

"**Then you will have been taught a limited amount of Seeker expressions depending on how many of your cycles that you have been in the presence of the Air Commander.**"

"Not a whole lot yet. Was looking forward to at least twelve weeks of getting to know him and his Trine Mates but I did not get the chance like I would have liked. However fate has brought me here to you because you had a dire need comrade. Hold on tight this is gonna sting…"

"**I can at least set sensor blocks on him and have done so already human.**"

"In this case Ratchet he will still…well we humans use the expression 'scream bloody murder.' I've done this repair three times since the first time I put my hands in Starscream's chassis. Sensor net in complete shut down they still scream. They are to sensitive in this system not to yell and holler about it."

"**A fuel line replacement is required then?**"

"Fraid so friend. Its going to suck donkey balls, and I suspect you know that but, its going to go fast enough that it will be over soon. Um Ratchet, for my safety here, I need to have ear protection and maybe some thick goggles."

"**I will trust in you Junior Medic. When I return to functionality I will fly you to the place of your choosing, at the time of your choosing, since gifting you with Energon would not be appropriate.**"

"Some day I will learn to brew that stuff for you guys though. Apparently Hook's last batch sucked almost as much as this will."

"**That I can imagine. Hook indeed 'sucks' at Energon brewing. You should have the Hatchet further instruct you when my repairs are complete. He is a master of the brewer's and distillers arts as they were practiced on Cybertron.**"

Obviously Ratchet was used to being called the hatchet by most people, though it being said practically to his face made him ventilate in frustration behind her. She rolled her eyes, dropped the goggles and ear protectors into place and was about to proceed, when she paused.

"Before I proceed, well… who the heck are you anyways?"

The sweet sharp edged words that flowed from his vocalizer were first in Seeker, the shorter version in original Cybertronian, then in the harsher framework of Decepticon dialect, which she managed to repeat exactly which made the mech smile.

"**You would call me Bright Edge. It is a joy to know you medic. You may now proceed.**"

~*~

It had taken ten more hours afterward to finish repairs on Bright Edge. Kalomel was suffering pretty badly by the time she sealed the last o ring in place and put the extra tubing and tools back down on the rack to her left hand side. She throbbed like a badly struck bell and everything was starting to spin and seem sparkly with darkness at the edges.

"I am within a hair of passing out Ratchet. Please do not allow me to hit the ground…."

She was falling and unconscious. Ratchet was reaching but he calculated that there was an over eighty nine percent chance of him missing, and a ninety eight percent chance of her fall further exacerbating her present injuries when she struck the paved floor of his medical hanger.

The Seeker did not miss. Talons that normally would have been damaging to the human were instead gentle and careful. The female decepticon medic was lifted and placed carefully on the portion of the Seeker's chest that was just above his canopy near his throat. This was a supremely vulnerable spot. It conveyed more then any expression from that mech's vocalizer that the Seeker trusted the human absolutely.

"**Is there anything you can do for her Autobot Medic?**"

"**No Seeker I can not do much other then put some replacement bagged fluids in a drip system for her and let her body do the healing for a few days.**"

"**She was this badly damaged and yet she came to my aide anyway?**"

"**She did not hesitate. It is obvious that for once one of Hook's assistants takes the Junior Medic rank seriously.**"

"**Indeed.**"

~*~

Optimus Prime received Prowl's report and sighed. Many were the humans that made perfect Decepticons just by their natures alone. He had learned this over the few years spent living on their world and dealing with what most of their society considered the most un-trustworthy of all, their government officials. Yet he had not found the actions of the human female called Kalomel to be so.

When Prowl had informed him that the female was bound by fate as Prowl himself was, Optimus had revised his thoughts on what he needed to do with the Human Decepticon. He had been considering seriously the few requests he had received from various departments for her to be turned over to the humans for prosecution. However Prowl's intel regarding her motivations had simply put the final period on the one word sentence he used to reply to the ones insisting it be so. _No._

Humans treated those who had acted thus with something more akin to their word persecution though, and he had already rejected it. All Decepticons were the sole responsibility of the Autobots to be dealt with in whatever way He saw fit and not what some generals were demanding with suspicious greed in their eyes.

"**She will not likely wake up for another Earth day or so Prime. She was so severely beaten by that Lawgiver I am surprised she stayed mobile and functional long enough to repair our Seeker guest.**"

"**:Prime, Prowl here, I have received word from the Seekers that they would like to negotiate the return of their Medic 'at our earliest convenience.' I have never heard the Seekers be so polite. They are presently unaware that we have Bright Edge in custody. I think we should let the Seekers negotiate for the Medic's return and force Megatron into being the one who exchanges for Bright Edge:**"

"Megatron can't be forced to do shit Mr. Prime Sir and you are well enough aware of that. You have known him longer then there has been an Earth after all. Even I know better and I have known him for a little over a week now."

"**Apparently you underestimated this small femme Ratchet.**"

"No one knows what I can do until its already done, not even me. Big surprise Ratchet's just as clueless as the rest of us. I would like to be drugged out of my mind and left to sleep till my ribs knit back together though. They sure as hell are broken. I can tell more so now that the swelling is finished being so puffed up."

"**You will require a week before they stabilize with my advanced stims and supplemental formulas. If you wish to sleep for eighteen hours out of your normal twenty four hour days each cycle I for one would be glad. So often my patients do not comply with my command that they rest.**"

"Unlike them Ratchet ,I know I am very super extremely mortal as can be. I have kissed death on the mouth more then once. This was just the latest in the shitscapades that are my life."

"**Fate's children are the most burdened of all. I have many times had to treat Prowl for the various injuries he has sustained in his own 'shitscapades' as you so charmingly call them. I for one am not going to make your tasks any more difficult then they are already.**"

"That just leaves if I am going to pass out again and wake up in Guantanamo Bay or not then I can rest. So Mr. Prime Sir?"

"**The humans requested it. I told them no. I suspect that you out of all Decepticons do not wish to make me rethink my decision in this matter.**"

"No Sir."

"**I did not think that you would. Is the binding of fate why they wished to have you so much?**"

"Oh I'd say so. Government flunkies are usually shot on sight back home for a reason Mr. Prime Sir."

"**My dealings with them so far have suggested that the gut reaction to them is that way for a reason.**"

"Because they are 'Horrendously epic pains in the aft!' like Sky says all the time."

Optimus Prime chuckled before becoming gravely serious again in a flash.

"**Obey Ratchet's as well as Prowl's directives while you are here in our custody and nothing ill will befall you while I stand to prevent it. Take Ratchet's first directive now human and return to your rest. You may stay with the Seeker for now if it will calm you both.**"

"Yes. Thank you."

Optimus watched as the seeker carefully enfolded the femme by draping a hand over the small amount of space she took up on the large aerial mech's chest. He could detect her breathing, which had become labored, though she had hidden her reaction to his command presence well, and it was now the breathing he had come to associate with Samuel Witwicky being well cared for and sheltered by Bumblebee. Complete trust and safety between the both of them, with no fear remaining at all.


	9. Chapter 9

{A/N: Shorty Mac Short stuff chapter. Remember to review! ^_^

**Technique disclaimer**: Bot smexishness and botnatomy is modded after the style of Antepathy and her cohort in crime Gabriel C's method of squishy pnp stuffs. Thanks

Notes on language denotations: One * is decepticon/Autobot dialect depending on speaker and situation ** is seeker speak and // on each side indicates a remembered conversation being gone over again in some bot's processor.}

* * *

Kalomel waited quietly in a chair at the cantina on the Autobot base. The humans that visited had someplace to eat and relax here in the small building. It was more the nature of a neighborhood family restaurant then an military mess hall sort of place. It had been six days Since her arrival in the middle of the night with Prowl. Six whole days of being quiet, learning Seeker from Bright Edge and Autobot Dialect from Prowl, and sleeping a lot while the various fluids and nutrients Ratchet pumped into her were utilized by her body to heal her injuries.

She had been able to shower and wash her braids with the generic bar soap left for her use in the showers, but she had not been able to keep up with her normal standards of grooming, or even close to it. Not without a razor or three to shave with and good shampoo and conditioner. These things she had requested as well as some other items so she could redo the braids that were the standard efficiency hairdo for her family when they expected to need a do that would stay put for a while.

Optimus Prime had informed her that a female human of the Autobot's acquaintance had gone to get her the things she requested and would bring them to her here at the cantina. The humans on base with the two exceptions did not know the nature of her 'visit.'

Optimus Prime had been concerned that they might choose their loyalty to those who out ranked them over what he considered to be justice and what was morally right as far as her treatment was concerned. Knowing what she did about her own country men and women, especially the military types who were trained to obey like it was written in the backs of their eyelids, she could not agree more.

The girl in question entered the cantina and was greeted by the several soldiers present in a very familiar manner. Even if they knew her they should not be treating her that way. A small mech the size of frenzy obviously agreed with Kalomel's conclusion, because weapons rotated out of his fore limbs and his optics glittered dangerously as he swore at them in a pigeon Cybertronian and English hybrid tongue that conveyed exactly what he wanted said.

"_Warrior Goddess belongs to Ladiesman 217! Back away or get Slagged!_"

"Easy there Wheelie they were just being guys."

"_Guys? So what if they has only modules! They are obviously defective enough to not respect mate bonds! Losers!_"

"I would guess the contents of those bags are for me?"

"Hi there. I'm Mikaela and this is Wheelie. Yeah this is your stuff. Prowl said to tell you to leave the razors or anything else that could hurt you in the locker outside your room. Otherwise you might get in trouble or something."

The small mech…no Wheelie, was still keeping a tight bead on the targets he had just chosen. They had taken him seriously after he had holed a can of soda before the guy who had just opened it could drink it. They had retreated way over to the other side of the cantina and were sitting under a window staring at the smaller mech.

"*Slag it Wheelie. Humans react just as poorly to being shot at or having weapons even discharged in their general direction as mechs do. You should behave better. I bet they expect your warrior goddess to keep you well in hand and controlled. I know better but they will not and you could get her in serious trouble. Is that what you want?"

"_*No I do not wish her to be troubled by me. My behavior towards her amuses her enough hat she does not mind my presence though Decepticon medic. I would rather you not let on that I am smarter then I seem._"

"*I will not Autobot Wheelie. So How is my Cybertronian coming along? Am I doing well?"

"_*To be able to chastise me as thoroughly as you have I would say that you are indeed making vast progress. Especially for one who has been only making a concentrated effort for the time you have been on base._"

"*I try my best to learn things I will need as fast as I can. There is never enough time in the solar cycle, and if I let it go to waste I will be sorry later."

"_*Absolutely true. Ah the warrior goddess is staring at us perhaps we should switch back to your country's native tongue for now. I will consent to practice with you at a later time though if you wish._"

"So it is true! That was the way Decepticons speak their language not the way an Autobot talks. You are a human Decepticon."

"The only one at present, but yes I am a Decepticon with the rank of Junior Medic under Medic Hook. I would rather you not let that get out into the general population of this base. It is apparently thought of by the autobot leader that it should not become common knowledge or my personal safety would come under severe threat."

"I'd think so! But why? Why would you work with those monsters? They hate humans and…"

"They are **not** monsters Mikaela. They are my comrades. Whatever they did to you they certainly did as an act of war and not for personal amusement! Well unless it was Lord Megatron. He's as nucking futs as they come and maybe even worse then that."

"That doesn't answer my question."

"I am a child of fate. I do as the three ladies will it in almost every situation. When Air Commander Starscream crashed into the orchard near my house I repaired him as they so willed it, and in the hope that he would be gone and this war would pass my ancestral line's homestead by from then onward. It was stupid to expect to be that lucky. The fighting came to my homeland anyway and my barn was destroyed and my house pretty badly banged up because of a missed shot by the Autobot Gunner Ironhide. Starscream was concerned that my safety would be adversely affected and felt that a debt was owed for his repair. He ordered his Trine mate to extract me and as they say the rest is history. I got in the jet and I am not one little bit regretful that I made that choice."

"Why stay though. Surely once your place was clear of autobots the Cons could have brought you right back again and left you to deal with the aftermath in peace."

"Until I met the Trine of the Air Commander I had never once felt anything good from my fate sense. Always its either insistent or if I resist it hurts worse and worse until I obey. Once I met them I was gifted with a pleasant caress from what is normally only prone to giving closed fisted blows. I am meant to stay. That and Barricade and Blackout would not be locked in Barricade's quarters making out like mad about now if I had not repaired that bot/copter with Hook. That too was important if only in my limited view of the weave."

"So you are staying with them for Starscream and his Trine brothers?"

"Trine MATES Mikaela. They are, as they explained it to me when I asked, pretty much married to one another, or at least the Seeker Equivalent of married. Yes I am there for them mostly and to do what fate wants me to do in order to end the war in a positive way before something irrevocable and vastly unpleasant happens."

"You could die you know. They are machines and can be repaired even when they are so badly damaged like Blackout was and Optimus Prime was. We just get dead. If the primes hadn't sent Sam back, then he'd be dead too."

"Of course I could die. I actually expect it. Its what happens to fate children like me. I'm twenty four now. I'll die before I am forty and that is if they decide to be kind. Super small if, that one."


	10. Chapter 10

Mikaela had been upset with her over her attitude towards her chance of imminent demise. Very few people understood those who had the burden she did. If they did it was because they were close to another fate child or were one themselves. She had excused herself after making her apologies to Wheelie and to the young woman in question. It was best to let people be upset until they got over it and not interfere unless you had to. Her mother had taught her that and Kalomel was in perfect agreement with the idea at the moment.

"**You caused my apprentice some distress. I do not appreciate that.**"

"Chief Medical Officer Ratchet. I don't appreciate her calling my Trine Boys 'Monsters' either but while I did call her on it I did not do so rudely. If she is off color about the fact that I have accepted my eventual death then that has nothing to do with me either. I suspect they will not ask her to interact with me again. Fortunately Razors last me about three weeks before they need to be replaced, and the other items and formulations will keep me well for a bit longer then that."

"**You do not feel bad that you hurt her feelings?**"

"Sorry it happened. Worse things then that happen now and again so as for feeling bad over all… no I'm not."

"**You have lived a harsh life to be like this.**"

"Understatement, that one."

"**I'll teach this human 'Con' to behave better then that Ratchet don't you worry about it!**"

"**Ironhide behave yourself! The Conventions dictate that she shall not receive harsh treatment unless warranted! Optimus has ordered that…**"

"**I don't care Ratchet! The little slagging, Seeker facing, squishy, whore crashed into me with a fragged to the pits tow truck!**"

"Whenever you are ready to attack an unarmed opponent barn burner, then I am ready for you. Come get me whenever."

The mech looked down at her with fury in his face. It cleared a little when he realized that she was unarmed, and waiting, the look on her features clearly displayed her feelings to the gunner. She was expecting him to kill her on the spot.

~*~

Ratchet had managed to calm Ironhide. He knew his old friend was shocked out if it more by the Junior Medic's acceptance of certain death coming at his hands, then anything Ratchet had done though.

"**Slagging aft head. I would never lay a hand on a human with intent to hurt or kill unless attacked first. Angry or not. I'm not a 'Con' after all.**"

"Then how did you intend to get me to behave in some way that you see as more desirable then the way that has until now worked best for me?"

"**I've been around Optimus long enough to give a pretty mean dress down without one cruel thing being said. Sorry though about the whole 'Seeker facing whore' thing.**"

"**I am very disappointed in you two, but at least you are talking and trying to work out your differences now. Can you continue to supervise Ratchet or do you need to be elsewhere?**"

"**Prime. I am finishing some tests that I need to be supervising instead. Have you got this?**"

"**I can take over Ratchet. Proceed.**"

Kalomel was quivering. Ironhide had not even tripped one tenth the alarms that were now telling her to run the hell away as fast as her feet could carry her.

"**It's command presence Junior Medic. All the Primes I ever met make you wanna shake out your bolts. Thing is they are also the gentlest and kindest of beings in the whole of the universe unless provoked way beyond anything else anyone else would tolerate.**"

"**Thank you Ironhide…I think.**"

Kalomel could not help it. The look of consternation on her chief captors face was worth a giggle or two, so she laughed. The sound startled the two mechs who had been coming back and forth over her head from what she could tell of their behavior.

"**Somehow I doubt that that sound has been heard very often.**"

"**I think you are right Optimus. I for one feel kinda privileged.**"

~*~

Starscream was anxious over how long it was taking to negotiate with the Autobots for Kalomel's return. The Junior Medic had a presence he found soothing. That and he was also worried that she might not receive adequate medical attention at a base meant for Autobots. Laser Beak was orbiting slowly, much like the animal he resembled, over the Autobot base. He commed the smaller mech and received a reply before he had even phrased a question.

":_The Junior Medic is almost completely recovered from what I can determine with my scanners._:"

"**The Hatchet would not let her suffer even if he acknowledged her full Decepticon status. He is not one to let anyone enemy, friend, or neutral party suffer when it is a hurt he can mend.**"

":_I have also detected a Seeker signature frequency within the Autobot base but I have detection only no optical confirmation._:"

":**What frequency?**:"

":_Frequency of signature is at 0074679 Confirm Identity?._:"

":**Identity confirmed as Decepticon Bright Edge.**:"

"**What the hell is Bright Edge doing in an autobot base? Wasn't he supposed to arrive a week ago?**"

"**He must have arrived and somehow injured himself in order to still be there. Inform Lord Megatron that as soon as we have the Junior Medic it might be advisable for him to contact Prime for Prisoner exchange. The Yellow Scout has not been missed yet but soon will be.**"

"**They do not know we have a prisoner to exchange yet and will believe they have an advantage that we have already taken back from them and made our own.**"  
"**Fifty barrels says the little scout is** **not an interface virgin by the time the Autobots get him back.**"

"**Specifications?**"

"**Two only. First one: Soundwave. Second One: Willingly.**"

"**Soundwave never was one for force. You sure he wants in the scout's hatch though?**"

"**Positive Sky.**"

"**Then no bet, But I will sure as hell want to plant some recorders around the Nemesis when we get back!**"

" '**Cade' is already on it. He bet against me by the way.**"

"**Idiot should know not to bet with you by now Sky. How many barrels have you taken from him to date?**"

"**I don't really remember Thunder but I would say over a thousand by now.**"

"**Hah. Idiot indeed.**"

~*~

"**Would you care to have contact with your comrades Junior Medic?**"

"It's allowed?"

"**Prime approved it this solar early on while you were still in recharge. I told him the Seeker 'Cons' would appreciate assurances that you were well beyond our word.**"

"I would like to talk to them very much since it's now a permissible thing to do."

"**Contacting them now.**"

Kalomel sighed softly and thought carefully about what she could say without getting herself into trouble with her present captors. She supposed they might not want to even talk to her beyond hearing her report on her well being. She was sitting in her fated brother's alternate shape while he patched through the comm unit to Starscream's frequency. The light on Prowl's dashboard lit and blinked before turning red to indicate a frequency of comm used by a Decepticon. Two parenthesis appeared , one on each side,and blinked. The channel was open now.

"Air Commander do you receive me?"

":**KALOMEL??? Yes I am receiving you! How are you contacting me? It showed an Autobot frequency!:**"

"I'm sitting in the chassis of an Autobot, so that would make some sense. I am permitted to initiate contact and reassure you of my being o.k. right now. Other then that I don't know if I am allowed to talk to you for a bit or not."

":**I do not mind**. **She may continue to converse with you for another twenty minutes by local time standards Air Commander.:**"

":**Tell me about how they are treating you Kalomel. Are your injuries being adequately seen to? What has occurred since you arrived there?:**"

"They have been nice enough considering that I work for their most dire enemies. Ironhide returned yesterday and we had words, not all of which were nice ones either, but we did resolve our issues fairly well. Chief Medical Officer Ratchet has been seeing to my damage with all due care and concern. I am mostly mended at least as far as my ribs are concerned thanks to his formulations."

":**Hey Mel! Whatcha doing?**:"

"Hi there Sky. Honestly all I have been doing lately is practicing my languages in between eighteen hour naps. That is what a badly injured human usually does is sleep until we get better."

":**Kalomel. I will take care of that sorry aft head Sheriff at your request anytime you know that right?**:"

"Of course I know that Thunder. Prowl here hit him sufficiently hard that I doubt he's even out of the hospital yet if he did not up and die of his wounds all ready. After all I had all ready kicked his can around quite a bit ya know!"

":**I know. I had to watch remember.**:"

":**We all had to watch. It is not a thing I wish to see repeated Kalomel. You will not be leaving the Nemesis for a while once we reacquire you. You will also take up the Seeker Martial arts training as soon as you have fully mended. I suspect that with the proper training you will be capable of defending yourself and not ending up defeated by such a…such a slagging pit spawned insect!**:"

"Calm down Starscream. The Sheriff is an evil bastard but he is far less important in the scheme of things then one would think. Let him and all thoughts about him fade from your mind for now. I know I performed badly in the fight though. I'm sorry about that. Until this last month I have never had to fight so much as a scuffle with my cousins let alone contend with a law man who has all the training and forty five percent more muscle mass then I do."

":**Bigger should not mean much unless it means that one combatant has more intellect then the other.:**"

"Say that if Optmus Prime was intent on slagging you Thunder."

":**True enough Junior Medic. Any bot in existence could easily terminate you and many of your species's males could as well. I wish you to be careful while on the base of the Autobots. While I suspect that none of them would even think to terminate you, your affiliations not withstanding, the humans might well make you wish that they had if they don't do so automatically.:**"

"We call that being sent to Guantanimo Bay here in these United States. The modern fate worse then a thousand deaths. I just don't ever want this to happen in China or something like that. No way no how. I would commit suicide on the spot before giving myself over to the authorities in a country where human rights mean utterly nothing no matter how they say otherwise. "

":**Isn't that the country where they once ran over unarmed learners barely past sparklings in age with tanks?:**"

"They were mostly still sparklings by our consideration Sky, and yes it most certainly was."

":**We have twelve point oh four minutes remaining. Let us have a more pleasant exchange with our fourth from this moment forward my mates.:**"

":**Yes Starscream.:**" Both of his Trine mates agreed over the open channel.

Kalomel for herself simply sat there stunned for a moment before giving her own soft affirmative.

":**Don't damage the human your own self Air Commander. Her heartbeat fluctuated just now. That is normally a sign of a very overly stressed human. Especially since this one has no defects of heart or respiratory system that Ratchet could detect with any of his scans.:**"

"They just finished deciding is all Brother Prowl. I was not expecting them to have finished with the pros and cons yet, let alone having finished deciding."

":**Was our idea in the first place 'Mel.' What makes you think we would change our minds on it?:**"

"Timetable issues might have made it unfeasable. Or you might have got up from recharge on the wrong side of the berth at some point and decided that since I am biological and not mechanical I was very disgusting or some such thing. Any number of things could have gone wrong but I think we should do what Starscream says and not talk about unpleasant stuff."

":**We **_**DO**_** want you as our mate Kalomel Nichols. I suspect that it will be very pleasant for you most of the time. Despite how annoying these two can be.:**"

"**:US!?!?!?! Try YOU, you condiscending, crazy, pain in the aft! :**"

"**They have been together for a long time little sister. Do you think that their Trine can really stretch to include you?**"

Prowl had spoken inside his own chassis, with the open channel muted. Kalomel thought hard prior to carefully forming her reply.

"Like they said, it was their idea or to be more accurate Sky's idea, but I think they can since it seems to be something they want so badly. They and I will simply have to work our ends towards the middle of things."

":**Sorry about that Kalomel. We should not verbally 'scuffle' in front of you so.**:"

"More like not in front of the Autobot I would say. As far as in front of me goes, well you can always be who you are capable of being at that time. I will not hold that against any of you."

":**I have some news. We did retrieve the comm unit you were issued by Soundwave. It is inside the chassis of Skywarp for when we retrieve you. Also your Caretaker's sibling has begun construction on a new barn that meets your specifications. Many neighbors and local personages have committed some of their own free hours to assisting with this project. Your Caretaker's sibling did say that this was not uncommon in a farming and growing community.:**"

"Yeah Starscream. People usually do turn out with every adult, minor, and small child that can be found to carry a hammer for those sorts of things. My community and I may not mesh well but I am still considered a part of it. They would not fail me in this. That and Auntie is a force to be reckoned with all by herself. If anyone thought ill of me enough to spike the works they would be dealing with her in a flash. I hope she does exactly what I asked with the barn. I have different requirements for that space now then I used it for when I inherited it."

":**Oh and what might those be?:**"

"Sorry Thunder but not in front of my big brother Prowl. O. K.?"

"**Understood.**"

":**Decepticon Communications Officer Soundwave requesting permission to deliver vital intelligence to Junior Medic Kalomel Nichols. Please confirm.**:"

"He is asking nicely for him Prowl. He doesn't want to cause me trouble before the Trine gets to take me home either."

":**Autobot Second in Command Prowl confirming permission for limited intel delivery. Proceed Lieutenant Soundwave.**:"

": **One of the other humans in your region video recorded your conflict with the local law enforcement. He said many things in clear audio which cannot be later denied as not having been spoken. Rather then submit this in the traditional fashion to other law enforcement, this individual placed copies of this footage where it could be seen by millions of your kind upon the internet site called You Tube. The resulting stripping of rank of the sheriff and suspension of all of his subordinates pending later investigations has already commenced. The local frequency which reports current events on the television networks has reported it as such as well. A recording of this broadcast was also posted at the same internet site and many very vocal opinions in your favor have been expressed in video and text commentary and responses.**:"

"Make me a tape would you please Soundwave? I would like to review this footage at a later time during my free periods."

"**Request confirmed. I will comply.**"

"Thank you Soundwave. Oh and regarding your guest you favor so highly?"

":**You may proceed Junior Medic.**:"

"Nicely and gently with not a trace of mean to the whole thing no matter how much you want to shove him up against a wall. If you treat your guest well things will go better later when the predicted political shift occurs. I doubt his fellows have been giving him any lately if ever. Gut instinct says VIRGIN territory. Do you understand?"

":**Intel has been confirmed regarding my guest Junior Medic. The only damage that he will return to his fellows with is I believe referred to as a 'Popped Cherry' in your tongue's slang.**:"

The grin in Soundwave's voice was obvious to all the mechs on the wide band frequency. Thunder's laughter could be heard in the background and Skywarp was making a crack about leaving some lubricant in the tanks for them when they needed it for its 'normal' use.

":**Frequency being returned to Air Commander Starscream. Safe Return Junior Medic.**:"

~*~

Prowl Sat and listened to the rest of the conversation between the Trine and the human in his chassis. Half his attention was spent on the convo going on but not all. Since it was being recorded anyway, he was able to think more on the implications of the end of her convo with the communications officer. Who did they have? Everyone on earth had lately been accounted for. He knew at least seven confirmed virgins in the ranks who were among those that had yet to reach earth from the far corners of the universe. But that did not make him feel well in his guts anyways.

Soundwave. Who was it that said Soundwave had not interfaced with anyone in an extremely long time? Ah yes Bluestreak had commented on it recently. He said that he had known Soundwave from before the war on Cybertron and had considered the mech his, very odd, but also very true friend.

_//He is waiting for one he has wanted for forever to be within range of his hatch before he acts on it. He did not say what mech it was only that said mech was very much too young yet to interface with so he had to wait. Patience is one of Soundwave's virtues.//_

Obviously the wait was over. Being too young to interface before the war and an Autobot now meant only one Mech. Prowl Sincerely hoped that the Witwicky boy was well.

":***Prowl to Optimus Prime. There is no nice way to say this sir, but the Decepticons have 'Bee.'**:"

{AFN: hehehehehehehe *evil grin* anyone who wants to actually get the side story of Soundwave/Bee link send me a message or drop me some kinda line cause I am going to write it sooner or later and post it as a side story for this fiction. Hugs and junk food of choice treats to: lostneo, Raven Wolf1, FluffysBiJin05, Wicked Falcon, Alec Weston, fishy, and the new reviewer KrystalKlear1. Reviewer list is as of chapter 7. Thanks!}


	11. Chapter 11

{A/N: This chapter is huge! It took forever to get where it decided it was going, and not where it was going when I started. Fluff, cooking, descriptions of girl bits by robots using robot terms and some tiny bits o angst occur within, so be warned you now must! The scene wherein the Trine arrives to retrieve Kalomel is a result of something that my 2nd Cousin Hillary's, Boyfriend Lalo said upon his arrival at her door one day. "I'm here! What are your other two wishes?" Good job Lalo, Quote stolen and altered to fit the Trine. Have not started any promised side stories for this yet. I will write the Soundwave/BumbleBee fic after I clear chapter 16 maybe sooner if i get more then one person excited about it.}

The whole base was stirred up like someone had poked a giant ant hill with a stick. Kalomel supposed that sooner or later they would get around to questioning her about what she knew. In truth until the conclusion of her big brother Prowl had been confirmed she had not known who it was at all that had been captured only what her fate sense told her was going on. The virgin bot was in good hands with Soundwave. He would care for the mech very carefully and keep Megatron from damaging him if he could until it was time to trade for Bright Edge.

"**The seekers have offered a huge amount of oil and some of their seeker formula energon for you little sister. Prime Wishes to have words with you and then you should get some sleep before the time comes for the exchange.**"

"I suppose so Prowl."

~*~

"**Sam was not harmed when Bumblebee was taken, other then to be knocked out and left on location. I am surprised at this but very glad. Now please tell me what you know medic.**"

"Nothing much really. I only got a sense of what was on Soundwave's processors when he commed into the channel while I was talking with my Seeker companions. I suppose it is because I have all my senses turned towards my friends among the Decepticons that I was able to sense anything at all. Soundwave won't actually hurt this Bumblebee Mech person. I told him he had better not be anything but gentle with him and he did give his reassurances that Bumblebee will be returned undamaged when the exchange for Bright Edge is worked out."

"**You actually believe this to be true?**"

"Know it for a fact Mr. Prime Sir. Soundwave said it therefore it will be so. He keeps his word without fail always. That's his nature. Other people and mechs lie for their own convienience or to get what they want from someone. Soundwave will always tell the truth or he will stay silent. If You don't believe me when I say this you have several mechs among your group who knew him back in the pre war days. Ask them."

"**It is true Prime. Soundwave was always that way before. If he says it it is just as he says it is. What did he say?**"

"**Never mind Bluestreak. Thank you for your input. Get back to your duty station for now if you would please.**"

"**Prime.**"

The mech left with a Salute and the Prime was staring down at Kalomel again with that command presence of his going full bore. She just sat there and shook like a leaf in the wind for a minute before getting her grip again and staring back at him.

"Don't tell me it was your wish to be the first partner for the Mech in question Mr. Prime Sir? That is the only reason why you should be so upset when you are going to get him back well and happy soon enough."

"**Any good leader worries when his mechs are captured by the enemy. As for Bee's interface status that is none of my business nore would I ever try it. The size difference is too great. Soundwave is just about my size but not quite. I suspect that he will be able to interface with Bee without causing him any pain. I simply wish that this war was over so that being on different sides would not be an issue. You have not met Bumblebee but he is the kind of Mech who would not causally interface with anyone. He would have to be drawn to them spark to spark first.**"

"Good thing. From what my senses say Soundwave has been holding out for a long long time to finally get this chance. Bumblebee won't be sorry and I think that My comrade will be so much the happier when next I see him."

"**The idea is stranger then anything but I suppose we all have to bow to the fates now and again.**"

"**I have been telling you that for years Prime. Figures that now you listen.**"

"Sometimes information in stereo works better Prowl. If you ever need an assist in that way after the war comes to a close you let me know eh?"

Prowl laughed before transforming and opening his passenger door for her to climb in. She sat primly with hands folded and feet together as Prowl drove across the base.

"**There is one more person who needs assuring that though a bit X rated by human standards the intent of Soundwave is not bad for Bee.**"

"Sam?"

"**Exactly.**"

~*~

"They have BEE! How can it not be anything less then awful?!?!?!"

"Calm down boy. Your friend won't be hurt. Soundwave has had his eye on the mech for a really long time, well longer then there have been human beings. He would not hurt the mech he wants as a permanent partner."

"He wants to have SEX with BEE!!!!????!!!!!"

"Yeah robot sex, refered to as interfacing by the mechs. Hell if they had the time they would probably do something they call Spark bonding. Not up on what that is so don't ask. Doubt they would have time cause that is apparently not the quickest of quickies by anybody's standards. Megatron is gonna want Bright Edge back ASAP, so he will be trading back that friend of yours like a disliked player on a baseball card sooner then later. A week or two tops."

"How do you know all this when you have been here and not in contact with them except when you were supervised?"

"Fate Sense. Same as Prowl. Ask him to explain it. I make people mad at me whenever I explain it and what it means to a flesh based life form who has it."

"Will you tell Bee I am ok when you get there since you will see him long before we get him back?"

"Will pass the word along when I see him. Or if all else fails make Soundwave tell him."

"Thank you. I'm sorry I screamed at you. It was not your fault."

"No but I understand how freaked out you were. If it were one of the Trine I'd be crazy by now."

"Bee and I are not like that. I mean I would like to be but if he wants to be with Soundwave I got to let him do that and not stand in his way."

"Bots don't operate on that set of commands kiddo. He'll be with you if you want him to be and still be able to be with Soundwave. You see when it comes to mating and sex type stuff they simply are not jealous. They want their partners happiness so much that they will let them do what makes them happy and fulfills their every wish. It would be bad if they were only that way sometimes or only a few of them were that way but hell even Megs the nucking futs is that way as far as I can tell with as little as I try to converse with him. So all of them are generous with intimacy. It is just that way. Lucky us huh?"

"I still don't know what I am going to do about Mikaela. I want to be with her as bad as I want to be with Bee but I don't think she has the wiring required to share."

"Honesty counts here kid. I would not have expected my situation would be something I would want or need or accept before it was something I came upon. Maybe it will be the same for her. Who knows maybe she will end up Soundwave's Human and you be BumbleBee's. That would be awesome I think."

"Maybe, or maybe not, but I don't even know how to begin that sort of conversation."

"My favorite sort of luck has fallen on you then Sam Witwickey. She's overheard the whole thing thus far."

The Boy's jaw dropped a meaningful amount and Kalomel figured it was her cue to depart to check on Bright Edge and then get some rest. Tomorrow she had to start working on a relationship of a romantic nature with not one but three aliens who happened to be sentient mechanical beings. This was the start of her not getting enough rest for a decade or so, or at least that was what Kalomel guessed. She had better just sleep and worry about tomorrow when it came.

~*~

Kalomel woke early on despite having gone to bed exausted the past evening around ten. Dawn had yet to turn the skies from navy to daytime sky blue. It would be another two hours until the exchange was scheduled. Even so she was eager to 'get ready' for her return to the mechs who had traded so eagerly for her. While she showered and shaved her legs of the three days of stubble she had grown, she thought of the three mechs and what they might be feeling right at that moment.

Starscream would be dignified about it. However, her sense told her he had been worried near to sick the entire time she had been in autobot custody. Despite the contact confirming her well being, the little exchange over comm would not have improved his mood one bit.

Skywarp believed in her a rediculous amount. He would have been worried for the possibilities, but he would also know that she would try her hardest. He would trust that with the autobots having a faction wide decency handicap she would be salvageable if not out and out fine by the time they got her back.

Thundercracker kept his processor conclusions to himself more often then not. He might or might not be worried. Thunder, she felt, was going along with this fondness towards her because it made the other two happy. He might not have any feelings of his own on the matter, or he might be madly in love with her, But she could not tell from a sense standpoint. Her fate sense was staying shut up about the feelings of the Trine.

Normally when she tried to sense out other people's moods or feelings it gave her fairly accurate readings as long as the person in question knew what they were feeling themselves. With all the mechs she knew they were sure of themselves and their opinions and felings, but she had been forced to learn certain visual cues from Hook because the sense basically laughed and told her she was out of luck when she aimed it at the 'Spark' of any of her Trine boys.

It was being onery too. It would cooperate with Bright Edge, the lambo twins, Soundwave, Ratchet, and several other mechs she had met, but in the case of the Trine boys and Prime and even Megatron she was out of luck for the most part. It did tip her off when she needed to dodge or die around the mercurial Decepticon leader though. Prowl, well it laughed almost audibly at the idea of reading him, and then said **NO** in big bold type in her head.

She had met his Mate Jazz for a few moments during her stay and she could see how their energies twinned around one another like a DNA helix. That would be worth it. That would be worth it times infinitum, to find someone like that who would be the other half and put an end to the emptiness every being was searching to fill. Kalomel had excised herself right away when Prowl had arrived on scene and Jazz had greeted him with an eager "**PROWLIE!!!! BABE!!!!!**" Brother or not she did not want to break down and cry in front of an Autobot. She had to try a little bit to preserve Decepticon dignity after all.

Finally dawn finished recoloring the sky and she could feel the hum in her sense that told her the Trine was coming closer. Her heart started to hum along like it was an old familiar tune that she had forgotten the words to. Prowl had setled into his mech form after she got out of his chassis and was waiting with his Mate beside him looking concerned. Apparently prisoner exchanges were touch and go a great deal of the time due to Megatron's wicked and sometimes deadly mood instability. Optimus Prime was not present. This struck her as odd. So used to being by herself or with trusted people, Kalomel had never bothered with the fine art of refraining from speaking her mind, so she just asked about it.

"**I am Optimus Prime's Second in Command. I negotiated the price for your return to the Seeker Trine, therefore his presence is not required at the exchange.**"

Starscream was slowly descending towards them from the North. He landed with a graceful transformation from Jet to Mech that left him standing before the two Autobots.

"**Greetings Junior Medic Kalomel. I have arrived. What are your other two wishes?**"

Thundercracker soared in from the South West and executed the transform as you land trick that Starscream had just performed.

"**Kalomel. I am now present. You have one wish remaining mini-medic.**"

Skywarp was not in the air. She was beginning to be worried after a fraction of a second, then a loud bang like air being displaced by something forceful occurred and Skywarp was standing there as if he had been coming from further away and warped in from the South East.

"**Here I am Mel! Final wish granted. We will have to get you another lamp for next time.**"

"**Perhaps with something a little less frighteningly Ugly then a Seeker 'Djinn' Trine in it if she's lucky.**"

Jazz cracked wise all the time from what Kalomel could tell. Apparently the Trine knew this as well and thought nothing of it. Skywarp's arrival in the way he had was both showing off and needful as he had a hand on the stack of barrels on wooden pallettes that obviously contained her ransom fee.

"**You are very valuable to them little sister. I hope they do not forget that as time goes by.**"

"**We will surely not forget the value of our Junior Medic. Please feel free to examine the proffered goods. We will scan Kalomel.**"

Apparently Hook had obliged the Trine in installing medical sub rutenes and scanners as she was subjected to this once for each Mech and pronounced Hail for a Human who had previously been beaten half to death by her local law enforcement. The energon and oil offerings were found to be pure and uncontaminated and "**OH PRIMUS THAT'S GOOD!**" By Jazz, who tasted the Seeker brewed energon. His reaction had brought a chuckle from the Seekers. Thundercracker brewed for the three of them for the most part, but had not yet shared his secrets with Kalomel before her capture.  
"Gonna teach me how to make that stuff too Thunder?"

"**Of course Kalomel.**"

"**Does our part of the exchange meet with your approval Autobots?**"

"**Without a doubt Air Commander. Is our part of the exchange satisfactory?**"

"**We have received the Junior Medic in a condition actually improved upon from her last known state of repair. Please convey my appriciation of his work ethic to Your CMO.**"

"**We'll tell Ratch you said such nice things. Not that he will believe us but…**"

"Jazz, Behave better will you. You are going to give your Mate a logic circuit short."

"**She is a medic dancebot. You had best listen to what she says. She would not joke about any mech's health not even an Autbot's.**"

"Course I wouldn't. Especially not with my big Brother Prowl here. Can we go back to base now Air Commander?"

"**Yes Junior Medic, we are now departing.**"

Starscream picked her up gently and set her inside the cockpit of a transformed Skywarp. She put her comm unit back on and clicked the headset into place. When she looked down in the footwell she found that instead of her Cousin's old football helmet, the Trine had gotten her a helmet that would fit her better and was attached to an oxygen mask rig just as a fighter pilot's gear was.

It was a glittery purple and had her name and rank on the one side as well as the decepticon symbol etched into the surface on the other side and filled with a shiney metallic substance to contrast the glittery purple paint. The paint was easily recognisable as something that had come from Skywarp's personal stash.

":**I did the work myself Mel. I hope you like it. However this also has a more practical usage then simply a stylish gift. I am now also outfitted with an ejection system exactly as your human jet fighter planes are. Should you need to use it it is the garish black and yellow striped handle between your feet. It must be pulled out then thrust back in to activate the system. I can also do so and my mates can do so remotely should the need arise. I can be repaired from almost any accident or wreck. You can not. I do not think that I or my mates had this firmly in our processors until the fight with the law enforcement officer.**:"

":It scared you guys when I was fighting him and doing so poorly didn't it?:"

":**I can not speak for my Mates or the contents of their CPU's with one hundred percent certainty, but I know the idea of you being permananently offlined terrified me all the way down to the base of my spark. Please do not engage in hopeless battles any more Kalomel Nichols. I do not have the fortitude of spirit to handle the strain.**:"

":I'm sorry Sky. I will try not to worry you like that again if I can help it.:"

":**That is not a promise Kalomel. I do not want empty reasurances. If your expectations are that you will be unable to refrain from entering into combat with other humans then I will instruct you in Seeker Martial arts until all three of us have our expectations met. Do you understand?!?**:"

":Yes Sky. I look forward to my lessons teacher Sky.:"

":**You certainly shouldn't.**:"

~*~

Kalomel did not spend the first hour in the presence of her Trine as she had wished she could. Instead she had performed first her duty as she had given her word. She took herself off down to Soundwave's quarters and insisted the smaller mech called Ruble tell her where the communications officer was keeping his prisoner.

"_Junior Medic. He is down one level in the prisoner cells in the third cell on the port side of the holding facility._"

"*I appriciate your being to the point in this matter Rumble. Please stop by the medical facilities at 600 hours please so that I can look at that arm and shoulder assembly."

"_As you request Junior Medic._"

She marched to the lift and used her datapad to enter a code to make it take her down to the prisoner levels. As medic she had access to nearly every locked door on the ship. The yellow mech chirruped at her as if he found the whole idea of a Human decepticon the oddest thing ever, but of course he could see right through the disguises of any immitation humans who might be mechs underneath now. She sighed. He was in acceptable if not pristine condition.

"*)Sam Witwicky says to tell you he is just fine since it might be a while till you see him. Medic's word on it."

"**Thank you.**"

"*) You are certainly welcome. Try to not cause trouble. Your friends have one of us they are going to exchange for you sooner or later. I'd like to have Bright Edge back so I can learn some things without relying on the Trine. Oh and in case you have not noticed yet, Soundwave is an ally you are going to need for the near future. Be nice to him. That's all."

Having said what she needed to say, Kalomel walked out of the prisoner corridor and did not look back. Had she done so her inferior human eyesight would not have detected him standing in the shadow of a convieniently exposed beam. Soundwave contemplated the departing Junior Medic for a moment before approaching the cell.

~*~

_A/N:This is the point where I will be writing a fic for some Wave/Bee. Just so you know that this is the spot in this main fic where it jumps off from._

~*~

Kalomel dropped into the main tunnels of the repair bots and scrambled her way back to the hallway where the Trine were going to be. She could have taken the lift again but she had no wish to run into the little red sensory dot that was a cross Megatron. The members of the Trine were all in Thundercracker's rooms, as far as she could tell. She palmed open the door easily enough. They had all granted her access to their rooms, which was the hugest of big deals in Mech culture, even though she had not realized it until recently.

She didn't even get in the door before she was scooped up and pressed close to Skywarp's spark chamber. Close enough that she could easily hear the energetic humming of power that would have been a heartbeat in a human being.

"**Where did you go off to mini medic?**"

"Told Scout Bumblebee that his human friend was ok, Then I came right back here again."

"**What caused the delay in your return?**"

"Took the tunnels back up here. Megatron is in a snit of some kind and I thought my health would be improved by staying clear of the swath of destruction."

"**At the least it would be maintained instead of incuring an unknown amount of damage.**"

"Try a lot of extremely painful and perhaps dibilitating damage. It would only be unknown because it would be incalcuable."

"**Your health would also be inproved by refueling Kalomel. I have prepared one of your dehydrated noodle dishes for you as per the instructions. Please consume it prior to attempting to complete any other tasks.**"

Kalomel took the bowl that Thundercracker handed her. Starscream also passed her a bottle of mexican hot sauce with a lable entirely written in Chinese. She could only tell it was mexican hot sauce because of the senorita on the lable of the bottle. She guessed that it was intelligent of her not to ask questions. She added a few dashes to the bowl of ramen and consumed it fairly quickly. An apple was placed on her lap, allready sliced into perfectly even sections and the core portion removed from each section. Peanut butter had been applied to each slice of apple very carefully. She sat cross legged in Skywarp's palm and enjoyed the treat.

"*) I was very near to empty on my fuel reserves. Thank you for being so considerate as to provide what I required."

"**Your accent is improving Kalomel. How has this been accomplished?**"

"Bright Edge was instructing me as was Brother Prowl and Autobot Wheelie when he could spare a moment from his stewardship of Mikaela Banes. I learned a great deal during the unfortunate time I spent outside your company. It was not a total waste but I feel much better now that I am back again."

"**You were able to repair Bright Edge?**"

"Of course I was! After all I am completely compitent at any task I take on."

"**No offense was intended Kalomel. I merely wish to remain informed. As Air Commander my responsibility is to all Decepticon Seekers and fliers. **"

"Sorry Screamer. I am still a bit overly agitated from being surrounded by Autobots and Military types. The second group of which gives me the shakey terrors."

Starscream was smiling. It was kinda scary by itself, but it made her feel warm all over when she realized the reason why. She'd said Screamer. She had called him by his Trine given nickname. That it could make him that happy, and so simply. Well it made her feel really good, so she echoed his smile. He extended a talon and gently stroked it down her back a few times. It did what he meant it to do and she felt comforted.

~*~

Thundercracker watched the small femme sigh and lean into the touches of his mate. It was something that he was surprisingly pleased with. He was usually very 'self centered' and he did not bother to deny it. But now he was beginning to see more then his own life and happiness as important. Though it felt strange this being able to care again after so long also felt good.

He reached out and added a talon of his own to caress the human. She leaned into it just as much and made another sigh of contentment. The medical scanning subreutines kicked over and showed him that her muscles had been held tightly by stress and recent exertion. Now they were slowly un-knotting a little bit more with each caress of a talon. He commed Starscream and shared this intel. Starscream's eyes narrowed for a minute and then he proceeded on with his present actions without replying to Thundercracker's comm.

Finally the novelty of caressing the small femme wore off for Starscream and he went back to analysing the next mission's perameters. Skywarp had gone off to find some special barrels of energon to share with them in celebration of Kalomel's return. This left him with the femme in his talons.

Kalomel sat there eating another peanutbutter covered apple with all signs that she was enjoying the food very much. He sometimes envied the squishies their multitude of choices when it came to refueling. He handed her yet another bowl of the noodle dish and watched her devour it.

She was very hungry and had been shorted calories for some time. Obviously the Hatchet had been going off the number of calories a normal human female would need not a 'workhorse' like Kalomel was. She had at least fortyfive percent more muscle mass then an average human female. When she trained in the arts with Skywarp she was going to be fierce.

Amusement glinted in his optics as Kalomel insisted she be let down to go find more food then she had allready eaten. She was absolutely starved, or so she swore. He believed it. He watched in amusement as she set up some sort of device in the corner sat carefully on a crate that would not suffer from being exposed to cooking temperatures.

She had declared it her 'counter,' and that it had to be resistant to cutting while she chopped things into smaller bits as well as heat resistant. Into the appliance in question a chunk of animal protien would soon go as well as several 'peppers'

"**What is that device Kalomel?**"

"It's called a slow cooker or crock pot. Crock pot is actually a brand of the device though and not a general term. It will cook my meals over an extended period of time without my attendance required in most cases. I am going to have pulled pork tacos later on in the solar cycle and I thought I would start them now before some other action comes up."

"**It might be wise.I would like it a great deal if you could spare some time to help me with the transfer of your things to your own quarters later on in the week. That way all your devices and belongings will be set up for your use in one area. I believe the two rooms on the other side of Screamer's quarters are not occupied…**"

Thundercracker looked down at the femme, certain he had heard a noise of distress. She was staring at the piece of animal protien she was preparing as if it held the secrets of the universe in the strata of fat and muscle tissues. A drop of moisture that did not originate from the food fell on the back of her hand.

"**I said something ignorant didn't I?**"

"You didn't know it would hurt my feelings."

"**That would be the ignorant part Kalomel. Now tell me mate why my commentary has harmed your 'Feel Bads' and I will try not to do it again.**"

"I don't want to be seperated from you guys again…especially in situations where I can avoid it. Being as lonely as I have always been since my parents died hurts a lot. That pain finally went away and now…"

"**Now I was all set to toss you in your own quarters without considering it would be a banishment in your view. My apologies Kalomel. If you wished us to carry you around like a sparkling for a few weeks after what you have been through I would not fault you for it.**"

"While I am sure to have a good time with that for a few hours, after that I think I would get bored. Well unless you or Sky were telling stories again. I find that I don't like Screamer's stories as much, though you had best never tell him that."

The last remark was whispered into his audio receptor. He knew his grin was a wicked one and her answering smirk was just as evil. Amused with the fair Kalomel he decided that he was going to wander around carrying her for a while longer yet. Though it was not exactly the clutching to the chest that a sparkling being toted around by its creators would insist on, it was adequate as far as his sudden longing to keep a talon on the small medic was concerned.

~*~

"**Where'd 'Cracker wander off to?**"

"**He took Kalomel to the main mission planning room to determine a location from which to retrieve some more sustaining food sources for her. She diserves a far better diet then the one she has been receiving lately, or so he insists.**"

"**The crazy one has really started liking her and wanting to care for her. It's so strange, but in a positive way.**"

"**I agree. Kalomel's presence and inclusion in our Trine has been most benificial to Thundercracker. Normally he is just a selfish pain in the aft. Recently he has begun to actually care what happens to others. This can only be seen as a positive adjustment of his personal philosophy coding.**"

"**He cared before now. He just saw no reason to show it openly because we knew. Kalomel can know all this but would still require regular reassurances according to the information I have been able to gather. The human females find it comforting to be told they are regarded with affection and honor.**"

"**It would be best if we start with adoration and proceed from there. Or at least I will do so. I do not think that simple affection is an adequate descriptor of my attachment to the fair medic.**"

"**Agreed. I wonder what is keeping them. I would like to have her check on the timing of her food preparitory process here. I think it may be near done.**"

"**From the indicator lights and number readouts it has another three earth hours before it self terminates it's operation. However she did indicate that the unit was an older model and therefore somewhat less reliable…**"

"Hi guys we're back!"

"**Where did you end up going with her Thundercracker? I do not wish to have her encounter Megatron any time in the next sixty solars if she can avoid it. The danger increases when she is not in her duty stations or here in one of our quarters.**"

"For some reason unknown to me Frenzy had some things in his possession that were useful to me nutritionally and extra machine parts so I could build a few things for which I previously did not have the required items. Thundercracker took me to him so I would not have to go alone through the tunnels."

"**What food did he have that you would find useful?**"

"His last scouting mission took him through several suburban neighborhoods. He snitched a lot of things that caught his fancy including a ten pound sack of potatoes and four home grown tomatoes. That and a whole box of what we human tinkerers refer to as 'odds and ends.' I traded with him for a few barrels of energon that I have set brewing up right now."

"**These potatoes are that valuable?**"

"He had a lot of other stuff too. I just am shortening the list to the very absolute best things. Some of it is what we call junk food. It provides fuel for our cells but not much in the way of nutrients for our self repair systems and other things humans need to thrive to use. So while it is a good treat its like drinking a grade of energon too high for regular system consumption. It is not something we do all the time if we want to remain healthy."

"**Yet you will occasionally have cravings for this 'junk food?' or at least that is what the internet says.**"

"Yeah Sky. I get junk food cravings on occasion. I ignore some of them and instead eat something healthy but with a similar flavor. Sometimes is just my body wanting Salt or sugars or a bit of fat, which are all things that can be gained from ordinary good types of food."

"**Only sometimes though Kalomel? What about the other situations. What is the reason behind those?**"

"Exposure to some chemicals in certain kinds of junk food can be mood altering in a much gentler way then anitdepressants and other chemical formulations we humans sometimes use for mental adjustments. For instance I will tell you this now so you can be ahead of yourselves on the curve. Give me chocolate. Especially at the end of my monthly cycles when my hormones are at lower levels. I will hate you much less if you do. If its in an icecream, or cake form or perhaps a purer form of chocolate like a truffle, I would be extra special delighted. If it has a peanutbutter or caramel center, then you are going the extra mile and such efforts above and beyond will be duly noted."

"**These food substances can alter your brain chemistry?**"

"Yes and some of them are required for regularily used chemical manufacture by our various tissues."

"**Chocolate. Got it.**"

"I wish you were being literal Sky, but I have not seen any thing like a candy or cupcake among the items you guys got to feed me this time."

"**Is your cycle at it's low point?**"

"In about three days I start bleeding so yeah Thunder I am getting very close."

"**Bleeding?!?**"

"**Calm yourself my mate. Our little mate's breeding aparatus operates in that way. The bleeding she refers to is not literally leaking life giving fluids from damaged tubing. Instead the aparatus in question sheds a lining of tissue meant to harbor a small cluster of cells that later forms into a human sparkling. When such a sparkling does not implant then the lining sheds and renews itself for another attempt at accepting a fertilized egg.**"

"**Not to be offensive Kalomel but I find you biological entities to be very strange indeed.**"

"This from someone who builds his children. Right back at you mechanameanie."

"**In otherwords Screamer you offended her anyways. Now I would say it is your turn to go collect sustinance for our dear mini medic. Bring back chocolate with peanut butter or caramel centers. Maybe she will forgive the slight then.**"

"I'm not normally this soft in my plating emotionally, but you put stresses and hormones together with lingering damage and you have a weeping meanie on your hands."

"**I apologize Kalomel. You can no more change your build then we can. I should not have remarked aloud on it.**"

"My mother always told me to think first then speak then act in that order. She was a smart person. I think you all would have gotten along very well."

"**I speculate that our 'Mother –in-law' would have blown us up with hand grenades at the earliest opportunity. However had we all survived the first exchanges we might have indeed ended up on friendly terms.**"

"Thundercracker!"

Kalomel was laughing, then the laughter turned to tears and the human sobbed into her hands. Thundercracker had noted the odd perpensity of human femmes to cover their faces or mouths with their hands when expressions of emotions were beyond their control. It was as if feelings were something to be covered up and hidden because the loss of control was a weakness, was something to be held in shame.

He carefully caressed the shuddering shoulders of the small femme with the slenderest of his talons. She was reacting post crisis to all the stresses she had not been safely able to yield to during the actual events. Skywarp was often like that. Cold collected and calm, and sometimes even a smart aleck during the fight, scared and shaken afterwards. Continuing to caress her he settled in on his bunk and reclined with her still carefully caged by his talons. After placing her on his chest plate near what she would refer to as his 'throat' he began to vibrate the area creating a humming noise on the same level of sound frequency as a human heart beat.

~*~

Kalomel had passed out on Thundercracker quite some time ago. It was now nearly a new solar cycle by the way humans calculated time's passage. Starscream was also recharging next to him on the berth and Skywarp was perched on his toes above their heads but just as deeply in recharge.

Thundercracker checked the position of Kalomel to find that one of his Mates had placed one of her blankets over her draped form, and she had grabbed one edge of the blanket in her fist, but she had not moved very much otherwise. His optics shuttered and went dark once more. This rest was desperately needed by all and he was not going to do anything to disrupt it just yet.


	12. Chapter 12

Kalomel decided that Thundercracker had either gotten way more fond of her over the last twelve hours or he had been assigned as her keeper by Starscream or Skywarp or perhaps both. She went in the morning after her return to her duty station and worked her assigned shift work, manufacture of minor cogs and parts was the only thing that got her mind off the three for a while, and that task only lasted for a few hours. Leaving the other four after she adjusted Rumble's shoulder assembly and repaired the servos that gave him his unusual strength to contemplate her mates. They excited her, there was no doubt, but she was sure they would be angry at her soon enough.

A good girl did not put out on the first or even up to the third date. A good girl held out or a man of worth who made it to at least the fourth date. The Trine could surely do it, either as individuals or collectively, or even both ways, but Kalomel felt hesitant to inform them of this. Thundercracker came and lifted her into his taloned hand with a flick of his wrist servos that was becoming all to familiar. She blurted out her feelings before the lift doors had even closed, then she waited in horror for what was to come. Blood pumping in her veins so loudly she could barely hear him at first over the roaring, she had to ask Thundercracker to repeat himself.

"**With such a mating as ours will be Kalomel Nichols, I would think that many adjustments mental and physical must be made. I in truth did not expect that of you, though had you wished to discover what there is of me sooner then later I would not have protested!**"

"Classic."

Thundercracker smirked at her reply.

" So how does this work in the case of a smaller mech being the mate of a much larger mech?"

"**The process is not complicated. The larger mech and the smaller mech entwine module tubing and cables very carefully and then either simply run their data-stream frequencies until they sync as they would in each others ports or insert into their own ports.**"

"Do larger and smaller mechs attempt to breed outside of making a body for the all spark to enspark?"

"**Occasionally they are enamored of each other enough to try such things. Usually it is with the larger mech as the carrier as the smaller mech would not be able to carry the larger mech's offspring. Normally though it is rare for any who are not of a flight capable build such as ourselves to enspark. Most ground build mechs consider it crude.**"

"I'd imagine it is so, although that is extremely ignorant on their part. They think they can pretty much adopt a kid and be good parents. In reality a parent goes through a lot of pain to raise young. The birth just prepares one."

"**Will you seek out a co parent and attempt to breed at some point then?**"

"No."

"**Normally those of your kind who made such a statement would be unable to resist adding excuses to it. With you it is just no.**"

"That's right Screamer. It's simply No."

"**Why?**"

"Little obeyed tenant of my faith says to let your yes be yes and your no be no. Jesus himself said to leave off the qualifiers. So I leave them off."

Starscream walked with them from the lift to Skywarp's door. The mech who dwelled there was leaning up against the doorway arch,thus preventing it from closing.

"**So if asked now your answer to us wishing to mate with you would be no?**"

"That is correct."

"**Because we have not performed the rituals of courting your kind sometimes requires?**"

"Yes."

"**Ah Mel! If you wanted to go out on a date with me why didn't you ask me huh?**"

"**Idiot. On this planet only very recently have the femmes started asking their opposite to go on companionable pre-mating outings.**"

"**Screamer's right Sky. Kalomel is a traditional girl. That would mean that as mechs it is our role to do the planning and the asking with some various forms of input from her and come up with a pleasurable outing or three.**"

"Apiece."

"**Say again Mel?**"

"Three dates Apiece and three group outings. Sneaking me out on missions, taking me with you to get my food and toiletries, or on a mission when I am required does not count. Not that I would not enjoy it anyway but actual dates are not activities of sheer advantage."

"**Very particular is our Junior Medic. We will of course comply.**"

"**Yeah we will. Not like we have much of a choice here. Not only would she be upset but there are several Mechs on board this half submerged space submarine that would hand us our afts for making her upset.**"

"**I would hand you your afts for making her upset as well you two.**"

"Thanks Thunder. I appreciate the backup."

"**Of course Kalomel.**"

The third day since her return went well overall. Hook had required a minor repair that precluded him later having to have an overhaul if he did the repair right away. He had trusted her to do the mending of his internal system without any verbal or holographic instruction. This was a huge step for Kalomel and she knew it. She completed the repair perfectly and with thirty minutes in the allotted time frame left over. She shut his paneling and knew that her duty shift had ended early and that Hook had expected it to end up that way. Nothing was left over for her to do and even had she finished the repair on time she would have been out of duties hours early.

One shutter of an Optic was all hook spared her as he banished her back to the Seeker's hallway. She galloped back there at full speed, nearly taking off a portion of Frenzy's plating on the way by him. Had she seen the amused glitter in his optics she might have not bothered to try and miss.

Skywarp had indeed been the originator of the idea to include Kalomel in their Trine. So in spite of his native rank being higher, Starscream deeded the first recreation slot opening that the Trine had to his mate for Kalomel and Skywarp's 'first date.' He watched as 'Warp polished and polished some more until his chrome and all plainly metallic surfaces shone in the dim lighting of his quarters. Then he switched to the polish rag and type of glossing polish for paint. This was a more difficult procedure as the parts bearing his famous Purple glittery paint color were hard for the mech to reach himself. Starscream did not need to be asked. He picked up the second cloth meant for a paint polish helper and got started.

Polishing was a very intimate task to have a helper for. He purred when he sensed the polarizing of some of his systems. It had been a long time since his mate had a chance to perform an in depth personal maintenance solely for appearances and not vital systems instead. He looked incredible. He finally understood why humans said that someone looked good enough to eat. If he could devour Skywarp and hold him inside his chassis close to his spark for always he certainly would. Starscream gave his mate a last few buffs of the polish rag with a sigh. This particular cycle was Kalomel's if it was anyone's at all.

It would be best to not mention it or give any hint of his nearly painful levels of arousal. Sky never left one of his mates unsatisfied. It was part of his coding to give a great deal as a lover and take only the bare minimum in return. He would have to wait and transfer all this excess energy into Thundercracker in return for same.

Kalomel came back to Skywarp's quarters dressed as he had specified for their outing. Well not exactly as specified, but within specified parameters. He had told her to expect to be out in the sun for a goodly amount of time and that it would be hot and involve a large body of water that would reflect the rays of the sun in her face. So sunglasses were currently on her head pushed back into her hair, sunscreen had been liberally applied to every exposed surface and she was smiling because she knew she looked great in this outfit. The bikini was not as revealing of her backside as other types might be but it was a bright green with little yellow and blue stripes at seemingly random spots on it and the top had the same with a silver outline of a hibiscus on the left breast. It looked good and the colors would be more noticeable to the optic settings Skywarp normally used then reds and purples might be.

A fold-able straw hat a couple of beach towels were stowed in her beach bag along with the rest of the sunscreen and a few bottles of water. There was also a shirt and shorts for later if she felt she was being too scorched not to cover herself up.

"**I have the other equipment you will require in my subspace compartment. I can place your bag there as well if you like.**"

"Yes please, Sky."

They got on the lift with her in Sky's hand and held level with his spark. She could hear the energetic hum of his electric soul spinning about in its chamber, but only just, the way you can hear your partners breathing in the silence of the very early hours of the morning. It soothed her and she relaxed in his palm with a sigh.

Skywarp looked down when he heard the ventilation from his small fleshling mate. She was sprawled out in his palm, every sign of stress that had been in her had vanished. Her muscles had lost the tight hold they had been keeping that caused discomfort and various 'aches' in her flesh if not countered regularly.

He was almost hesitant to move her, because he suddenly understood that it was the sound of his functioning Spark going through its regular rotations like a small planetoid in his chest that had soothed her so. They had reached the launch room though and they did need to leave.

She was still alert enough despite her relaxed state to pop up and hop off his hand before he had to verbally alert her to their present location. She settled into the seat of his alternate mode and made a startled noise.

"Since when did you get so plush eh Sky?"

"**My Mates deserve the best in all things Kalomel. Comfortable seating is the least I can do for you.**"

Kalomel settled into the very comfortable seat and sighed contentedly. It seemed to eagerly mold to her shape. She grinned and accused Sky teasingly of trying for a free grope.

"**Massage maybe but a free grope? No way oh adorably squishy yet sublime one. Not going to happen because Cracker would crack me, and hard I'd imagine.**"

"So it being inappropriate doesn't matter as much as the punishment you would get for doing it and getting caught by your crazy mate?"

"**It does, but I am a Decepticon. Right and wrong blur very often when we do what we do.**"

"Honorable behavior should not be so easily discarded Sky…"

"**And yet it is. Would you rather I be honorable or that I come back safely from my missions?**"

"Certainly I would rather have you back."

"**Sometimes that is the only way I return is because I out and out cheat in a fight. Ground pounders have a huge advantage in weight, armor thickness, and sometimes in reach in hand to hand combat. The only way to win is to cheat in any and all ways you can think of.**"

"Forget that I said anything. I honestly had no idea…"

"**No My Sublime One, you certainly do not. Combat is not something you will ever see if we are all very blessed by Primus.**"

"One can but hope but when you said that I got the feeling that someone out there in the far flung universe was regretfully shaking their head. Odds are thus in favor of it happening, not it not happening to be so."

"**Slag.**"

"Agreed."

The water was crystalline blue and tropical in nature. When asked where they were Skywarp gave a negative reply and would not answer. However she had seen enough of her neighbors postcards to know Caribbean blue water when she saw it. Pleased with her conclusion regardless of if it was right or not, she accepted some of the gear that he pulled out of subspace before he transformed back into his alt mode.

Kalomel was holding a snorkeling mask and a pair of fins in one hand and a fishing tackle set and a bucket of bait in the other. She stood on a convenient rock to step back up on a wing. Once she was safely in the middle of the wing, Skywarp started to drift slowly out over the water. The Jet Bot was barely even using any fuel burn at all. Instead he was using a force field generator to make himself into a triangular hovercraft.

Skywarp had left his canopy open in order that she could hear him speak to her relatively more easily compared to when it was shut. She laughed at the jokes he told as she drew fish in and through them into an open subspace compartment full of water he had made for this purpose. Fish seemed drawn to his hovercraft field somehow. Kalomel would analyze it later. Right now she was intent on catching herself some fresh protein to fry over flames on the beach of the small island where Skywarp had landed them before drifting out over the water. She had three good sized fish and was about to drop down into the water to swim when suddenly an alarm rang in the open cockpit of her mate's Alt mode ,and in sharp cybertronian syllables he insisted she get back in side and fast! Her fate sense was kicking up a storm so Kalomel less then agilely clamored back inside the sentient Jet.

"**Sorry mate of mine, but our date has just been spoiled by the Military of the region.**"

"I suppose I will have to have another date some other time for you to have a chance at making it up to me then?"

"**Supposedly so.**"

Kalomel sighed as they soared over Islands she would like to have had the time to walk the beaches of, and leaned into the seat that seemed to soften and caress her gently. Soon enough the day in the sun when she had spent so much time underwater and in minimal lighting, caught up with her and Kalomel drifted off to sleep.

{A/N: all the whole while this chapter just fought with me and fought with me. I didn't give up and I fought onwards for you my dear readers. So here is this argumentative chapter for ya in all its slightly less then glorious glory. *squints in annoyance then disappears*}


	13. Chapter 13

{2733 before notes. Sorry I have been without net since like late spetember so heres a good chapter and next chappy on Asylum over in AVP fics will be up soon as well as one for Alpha Dog Chronicles though it will take MCUH longer because I wrote a whole chappie in an actual spiral bound notebook while working!}

His mate was still sleeping at their landing. Thundercracker arrived in the landing bay. His crazy mate looked like he had overloaded a dozen times since Skywarp left. The smooth and nearly organic fluidity of his movement gave the secret away to someone who had known how that state was achieved very precisely. Thundercracker lifted Kalomel with utter care out of Skywarp's cockpit and he transformed back into root mode. The ability to stretch again was lovely.

"**Sorry the date got spoiled. How was it until that point?**_**"**_

"**Nice and mild."**

"**That's good. She deserves a little time out now and again. Even when she was just a fleshling and not one of us she did not get as much free time as she deserves by even half as much."**

"**Have you decided on the location for your date?"**

"**Several opportunities might present themselves depending on the time of day we get to leave. We are fairly far from anything but Islands. Otherwise I might find a good spot near a concert of some kind and amplify it so she could enjoy it."**

"**Ordinarily that might be a good idea. Perhaps though something out of doors might be managed? She seems to be an individual interested in nature more then architecture."**

"**She would say that god is a better architect then any we might name."**

"**By Primus she would be right about that. Here then Cracker. I have what you will be needing for your date with our small would-be mate."**

Starscream was right in his conjecture of course. Thundercracker could not imagine a place on this tiny organic planet more perfect and he briefly pinged the mate bond with gratitude. Starscream just smiled at him before lifting their small mate from his hands and returning with her to their shared quarters.

Thundercracker returned to their corridor to find that Kalomel had awakened and gone to her duty station a few hours ago. He pondered what she might like to take with her on their 'Date'. He then decided to take her earlier suggestion of using the search engine Google.

It proved to have adequate information on the topic if one had the processor power to quickly filter through the search engine's massive amount of results. How an organic life form would manage to do so he had no idea. When something said Millions of anything they tended to become over stressed by the concept rapidly. However his processor speed increased to meet the demand and his smile crossed his face plates as he gathered things from the stash of belongings that Kalomel had brought back from her residence.

Kalomel smiled as they headed off in what her limited directional gut feelings told her was a completely different direction then She had taken with Sky. They took several hours of flying at a higher rate of speed then was normal for a jet carrying passengers to reach any land other then a few islands, and then they started going very fast indeed. Even So Kalomel just had to trust her instincts for that fact as the outsides were just sky and clouds and blurred at a few hundred miles an hour anyways.

" **I am avoiding the Local air forces. They can not keep up with my speed and as long as the accelerations and accompanying decelerations are incremental, to you they will seem constant and not instantaneous. That way you will not feel increasing G forces or suffer harm from them**."

"That is a very good thing to know. I have no desire to be smashed flat in any near future time, and especially not in your cockpit 'Cracker."

It was a waterfall. Not just any waterfall but the very highest of all waterfalls. Angel falls. It was beautiful and transcendent in a way Kalomel found hard to believe. No bugs came near the electromagnetic and other types of energy being emitted from her mate. The moderately dense woodlands around the falls were not silent though. Thundercracker was being in no way threatening, and so with her binoculars she could spot small mammals and other living things moving about in the canopy. Of course he could see them with no additional help needed and detect them without needing to have so much as an optic on them even so. He pointed out various creatures and helped her to identify them.

Once the thrills of the environment wore off they started talking. Random things like what her nickname from her parents had been, and she made him tell her the first thing he was regularly called by his creators, what their first emotional attachment had been outside their 'family' and what had happened to that person. Many things were discussed openly and without any feelings of embarrassment.

Thundercracker made her feel at ease with him. It was strange how relaxed she was. Thundercracker had even thought to bring snacks so that she did not need to contest with the environment for food. With a couple burritos in her stomach she was much less likely to turn cranky on him, and she supposed he knew that by now. Drinking a big bottle of water and watching the sunset from a surprisingly comfortable spot on her mate's shoulder was something she would not have thought she would be doing on one of their dates. It only proved that she had misjudged Thundercracker a great deal.

Obviously observing organic environments was not something he did regularly without a tactical reason though, because the mech who was going to be her mate was bored soon thereafter. Deciding that they should perhaps go someplace, because her almost mates were all seemingly happiest when in flight or about to be in flight, she gathered her picnic things and got back in the cockpit of her transformed date.

They were over Brazil. She had asked him to filter through the airwaves for interesting chatter when she picked up something. Her Spanish was relatively good if under used in her little farming haven of a home town. They were announcing the final acts of an Airshow of some kind over a local airstrip. Grinning hugely Kalomel made a proposal to her large black and exceptionally shiny date. Afterburners fired and engines more fully engaged. Her proposal was accepted.

Kalomel leaped out of the cockpit back at base. She was still laughing. Thundercrackers grating metal chuckle was in her ears. He thought it was hilarious. They had outperformed and out done every aerialist in the entire show and gotten the heck out of Brazilian Airspace long before they could scramble whatever they had for an air force.

Kalomel knew that Megatron was likely to be angry, but for the first time she found herself with a command to directly report to their great leader. That frightened her a great deal.

Megatron's grim, scarlet regard was scary but she maintained her decorum and waited for questions, orders, or shouting, whichever came first. Inquiries about her progress with her weapons projects were unexpected but welcome. She answered them promptly and with an engineers accuracy. She thought that perhaps he either did not care or was not concerned over something he viewed as trivial. However his next comment proved her wrong.

"**You care for the Command Trine do you not? "**

"Yes Sir. Very much Sir."

"**Those three are seeking to make you their fourth. They think I do not know this. I will not change that, nor will you tell them I have this awareness. However what they don't know is that you do not understand what this will mean, and that is why you have acted in this careless manner. You will not risk their lives for amusement alone ever again or I will end your existence in the most painful way imaginable Junior medic. Do not think I jest because I am not over stating the matter in the slightest. **

**Now as it is obvious you do not know what this means and I am not nor have I ever been mated to a Trine of fliers, I will give you over to Bright Edge for the foreseeable future for additional training and cultural education on these matters. This is not a request this is an order. You will give to him three hours a solar cycle for this education and you will take it seriously. He will be under orders to regularly test you and report these results back to me. Do not hesitate to question anything he tells you though. Learn wisely and well. Now get out of my sight until you are summoned again."**

Trembling at the fierceness of the warrior regard she had been under so long, Kalomel fled back to her shared quarters. Starscream was there but did not seem aware of her fear. She greeted him softly before she went down the hall and began cooking something fatty and with lots of calories so that she could settle her stomach and sooth her savaged nerves. Soon enough the high fat Mexican food proved that it retained its affect when consumed by her. She felt less inclined to shake and much more happy with the universe in general. Her aunt had often teased her about self medicating with food, but they were a long way from any pharmacy where she might get some strong sedatives, so it would have to do.

Feeling a bit lost when she woke later in the night to an utterly empty hallway, Delia decided that if he was present she would seek out Bright Edge and attempt to get in her three hours right now. With a baggie of dry cereal and a few sticks of beef jerky in her canvas duty time snack sack, she wandered down the hall and took the elevator to a floor three up from her own quarters. He had accepted her com and confirmed her requesting his time for her educational hours to begin now.

"**Trines are complex in their makeup, and the bonds tying them to one another within the grouping are individual in nature as well as existing under the other bonds. The whole of these making up the united nature of their group bonding. For example the bond between Starscream and Thundercracker can be sensed by Skywarp, but an individual link level exists between them that he can not intrude on. It is deeply subsumed in the group bonding but that does not invalidate it, numb it, or in any way make it inaccessible to the pair it binds. Pair bonding between Starscream and Skywarp and between Skywarp and Thundercracker also exist and are equivalent to one another in depth."**

Kalomel was making charts on her touch tablet that contained notes as well as diagrams for the discussion that was the beginning of her education in Trines. She showed these to her instructor once he finished with his opening statements.

The first chart was her favorite because while he was speaking she had written down each thing he said but she had also drawn small caricatures of each of her would be mates with a color of their most favorite hue used to represent the bond between each and in which direction it flowed. Since it went both ways the triangle made was rather cute and the little jet modes had little 'cursive' version characters in Decepticon writing above each representing their nickname within their mated group.

Apparently this amused her new instructor because Bright Edge laughed out loud before continuing to describe the feelings and thought levels that could go through each level of connection between Trine mates. By the time he finished Kalomel was glad of her notes. This was just the first day of her instruction and she had taken twelve pages in her neat handwriting not including any diagrams she drew or that were made up by Bright Edge to represent things he was teaching her.

Not thinking anything of it, Kalomel cheerfully asked her instructor if he too had a trine.

"Yes little one, though we have not seen one another in centuries of your world's time, and I am uncertain as to their fates do to the vast distances that separate us."

"What are their names?"

"Dark Wind and Swift Wing."

The way he spoke of them then was so clear it was as if he was showing her holovid footage of each one. When she asked if he had pictures or holos of them he replied with a smirk that he would maybe show her some later. Though he held them dear to himself, it was obvious to her now that her bringing them up had made him sad over their lack of presence once again when he had been suppressing the emotionally draining feelings of loneliness for some time now. She humbly apologized. He looked down at her with startled optics.

"**I had not thought my feelings on the mater noticeable Junior Medic. Please forgive my lack of control in your presence."**

"That is not what I expect of you Bright Edge, and despite being newly acquainted I consider us friends. Friends need not always practice iron self control when in each others presence. That is part of what having friends means is having someone to allow you to reach your various relaxed states in the relative safety of their company. That and that they will not judge you for doing so either. What few friends I have I try to be a very good friend to as well, so please don't think that a completely disciplined state is required or desirable in my company. It is not so in the least."

Her newest friend gave her a curve of the face plates that she took for a genuine smile as there was also a noticeable warmth to the light of his optics.

"**Decepticons rarely have what you call a friend then, because we normally are too busy seeking a chance to find such a weakness and take advantage of it for our own ends. I do think that I prefer your way to ours though. I will consider us 'friends' as well then and recall that I am not supposed to be in perfect control unless I wish to be while we are alone in each others company."**

Kalomel smiled at her teacher and nodded with some enthusiasm. Because if he did not keep iron control and discipline then she was not required to do so either by the unwritten Decepticon conduct laws once explained briefly to her by Soundwave. This was exactly what she had hoped for all along. She learned much better while in a structured but somewhat lose environment then in one entirely laid out and set up precisely to a t.

Kalomel spent far more then three hours in the company of her instructor as she had also wished to continue learning the lessons in Seeker's language that he had started while they were both Autobot captives. He had not been adverse to this and was flutingly speaking to her in slow bits and pieces while translating what he said into each tongue, both Autobot and Modern Decepticon. He had also walked her back up to Thundercracker's quarters so she could reinforce her earlier nourishment with another application of cooked foods instead of shelf stable ones only.

Apparently all Decepticons now knew that she was supposed to have cooked fresh foods as well as preserved ones each day to maintain her health. This smacked of the interference of her leading jet aircraft of a mechanical boyfriend. Though it was nothing she found particularly annoying, the spreading of her requirements about without asking her had been slightly underhanded and secretive of him.

Normally he did not behave in dishonest or sneaky ways around her least he was planning some surprise she might actually like. She supposed that when they were all together again she was simply going to have to bring it up for discussion at that time. Her feelings on the matter would at least be somewhat cooled by then. Because screaming at someone who was fully capable of squishing you, even if that person was utterly disinclined to do so, no matter what, was foolish in the extreme. As such it was a thing she had no interest in doing despite her somewhat abused feelings.


	14. Ch 14 Bonding Complete Interlude 1

{A/N: Before authoress note open office told me 1928 words and this told me 1917 words. I like 1928 words since 1928 was the year my grandma was born. Some songs listened to while writing this interlude: Genesis by VNV Nation, Sweeter by Gavin Degraw end of ch 15 will likely have a full song list but listen to the first part of the opening of Genesis. Imagine Starscream in Space with Kalomel ~_^ This one is for Nick P. Not only was there awesome but it broke my writers block!}

Being outside of the base, even if it was for a supply run, made Kalomel jubilant. She had not been able to simply breathe unrecycled atmosphere for ages and ages. The things she gathered were bought this time not stolen. She had been able to acquire some cash and Barricade had seen fit to take her along on one of his small scouting missions in a suburb of a California town where the Autobot friends Mikaela and Samuel were from.

Meat and vegetable matter obtained, along with an outstanding amount of toiletries compared to what she had available recently, made her very pleased. She was going to smell like peaches for her date with the Air Commander. She shaved her legs so she would not feel under groomed, and smiled as she piled on the lotion. She had not done anything remotely girly such as this "personal maintenance," In what seemed like forever. It was normally a waste of time, but today it felt wonderful in any case, and with skin smooth and fruit scented she went out the door of her wash room and back down the hall towards her quarters with Starscream.

Her blood was singing with excitement and she could tell with just a glance at her own mental landscape that it was not all her own excitement. She felt very complimented that a Millions of years old mechanical wonderment such as he was would be excited by a date with a bitty organic like her. The tightening of the bonds with her mates would terrify anyone else with the speed at which it was proceeding. She welcomed it and opened herself to it utterly. To no longer be alone in this world or any other. To have the ties they willingly offered her. That was what made her heart sing in her chest every day now.

"**The way you open yourself so utterly to it without resistance is why it is deepening and broadening so very rapidly mini medic. I for one am glad that you are so eager. Kalomel...never doubt the bond. As my creators told me when I sought to enter a Trine, there is nothing more of home and nothing you will ever find that is greater."**

Kalomel did not doubt it for a second. This was the one true best gift her mother had told her of so long ago. Not what she had meant by miles to be sure, but a truer one best thing for Kalomel could not ever be found.

"Thundercracker Will you pick me up please? Its hard to reach from here."

With gentleness and affection Kalomel kissed the facial plates of her shiny black mate as soon as he brought her close enough. The bond simply SANG as if everything in the world that was good and right and made of joy was winding itself around the two of them. Starscream walked in the opening portal with Skywarp close behind. The two of them did not hesitate but to surround her with their taloned hands also.

Their metal bodies were warm. She had yet to find a reason why that they would be warm. Not all over at any rate but only in areas where processes were running would be normal. Yet they were warmer then the surrounding air always by a noticeable and sometimes cuddly amount. At present she could discover nothing to cause this, not scientifically at any rate, but as the bond deepened even further she just decided to enjoy it instead of reason it to death. Sometimes she knew her mental capacity worked against her. It made her doubt that anything could really be so simple. A four ingredient recipe for wonderment and joy throughout her foreseeable future? Surely that was against the laws of the universe somehow?

"**If it is little one then they can fine us, or imprison us should they care to ****Try****. Even so I would not retract the welcome I have given you or ask you to revoke mine in turn."**

Kalomel found herself holding her data pad and Starscream activated it with a whistle-click she could not quite do yet though she was practicing and getting better at them. He used his slenderest talon to open the file on her trine bond and culture studies. The first diagram. The word for her rank was drawn then and a small caricature of her person in a perfectly adorable chibi fashion. Then a rune she did not recognize that apparently was her name in Seeker's runes. This was all inscribed in the center off the triangle made by the three jet chibi's she had first drawn. Then the colors for bond indicators were dragged to the central figure from each jet image. Then the united color for a Trine bond was drawn around her in gold as it had been with the Trine's bonding.

Dates or no dates the bonding was considered at a complete level by her Trine leader. Kalomel handed her data pad back to Starscream as her hands started to shake. Skywarp had a talon in and rubbing her back slowly while she freaked out at the fact that she had gone to sleep engaged and woke up in the morning married in a unbreakable bond to not one or two but three millions of years old Jet robots from outer space.

"Oh hell. Might as well call me Cleopatra because I'm obviously the queen of denial."

"**Surely I will not do so unless it is obvious that you are in denial over one thing or another. It does not have the connotations of a positive or cute nickname Kalomel. Much the same as Screamer's favorite barbed name for me. " **

Kalomel knew exactly that name that he meant. She remembered it from the first time they all came home to the nemesis together. She had even learned how it was said in Decepticon and in Seeker by now from simply listening to Screamer's teasing of his dark mate.

"Cracker, you silly aft."

Kalomel went from laughing to crying her eyes out in less then five seconds. Her shiny blue mate counted for her. The stress was just to great. So she let all the agony and pain of her life alone up until now and all her joyful feelings express themselves through the tears flowing out of her eyes and down her face.

Starscream had a small cloth hanging off of one talon. He extended it to Kalomel when she forced herself calm and stopped crying with a hiccup or two on the end of it all. The utter relief of his small mate's stress and pain felt good after knowing all the past four days the hurt and doubt she had been shoving down in order to go about her daily tasks. He felt the bonds grow even deeper and sync better now that there was not even a fragment of resistance. The feeling before of a slight unwillingness had been simple in its source. In her soul the wise child of Fate that was their newest mate had known this was going to be the only wedding she had and that no spoken vows would be uttered.

The idea of going on these 'dates' as she called them was simply customary before marrying another being. In modern human culture there was no concept of a fair and equal union between more then just the pair. They would simply have to set an example for the ignorant organics. In truth they had already done so by taking their very best female from them.

"Very best huh? I feel special now for sure."

Starscream had not thought she would reach out and master such things as reading surface thoughts regarding ones self from the minds of ones Trine-mates so very rapidly. He sent a wordless feeling of joy at her accomplishment along their pair bonding and felt her caress him back in the bond with affection and joy of her own. This was all strange to her but she felt glad to be able to handle it at all instead of 'flipping out.' Which was something she considered a weakness she could ill afford. He sent a promise that should she feel the need she was welcome to 'flip out' and felt his other mates echo the sentiment. They were beginning to know her down to the base level of her mental and spiritual 'bones.' There was no reason to judge when she was part of a Trine now and thus capable of being so deeply understood and completely accepted.

He accepted gladly her bond sending of a request for a subject change so she would not continue being overly emotional. She did not wish to have puffy eyes on their date later. He understood after a brief blip that her physical recovery from her expressions off grief or simple mental overload of systems was something that took longer depending on how often it was used. Repeatedly and she would have puffy eyes for up to half a solar cycle. It was difficult and uncomfortable for her so he thought of something else and let the matter lie still and settle down.

The 'date' was in four local 'hours' as his small mate counted time. She was intent on having a nap before hand so she could 'handle the awesomeness that was surely going to be upcoming on date with the Winglord.' She had reached deep to find his former title in Vos. It was never used or spoken aloud by his Trine or any other fliers by his request. The memories were often times enough that were he human he would cry for sure. Her light loving caress was meant as an apology. She showed him what it was to her, a part of him, a being she loved. In that moment he realized that he who was eldest of the Trine-mates was as wide open to her s she was to him. A light sense of a tease from both Kalomel and Warp and then the sense of her dropping down int organic recharge right where she lay in Thundercracker's arms.

"**Help me polish up while she sleeps Skywarp."**

"**Certainly Screamer. High gloss or matte finish polish?"**

"**High gloss of course!"**

Skywarp chuckled softly so as not to wake Kalomel and then pulled some polish and rags out of subspace. He felt his mate's intent to 'make him shine properly' a second before the firm contact on his plating. Soon he was as shiny as he could be made to be without a repaint. He decided then that before the second date they had he would undergo a thorough repaint. Skywarp agreed silently. He would aide the repair bots so the markings of his heritage and rankings would not have to be later redone by hand.

Content to wait out his Mate's nap, Starscream went into a low power state just above full recharge and settled back on his toes to try and get some rest. To perform as he knew he could for this newest mate of his he would need all of his faculties and a full charge. Especially since his intent was to woo her straight out of the other nine dates or at least the rest of the solo dates entirely. The vicious grin on his face plates would give even hardened gladiators pause. As he slowly recharged to full capacity he never stopped smiling.


End file.
